Maldives

Full name of country: Republic of Maldives

Region: South Asia

Official language: Dhivehi

Population: 388,858 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Maldivian(s) (noun), Maldivian (adjective)

Land area: 298 sq km (115 sq miles)

Capital: Malé

National anthem: "Gaumee Salaam" (National Salute), by Mohamed Jameel Didi/Wannakuwattawaduge Don Amaradeva

National holiday: Independence Day, July 26 (1965)

Population growth: -0.2% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +5

Flag: The Maldivian flag features a centered green rectangle over a red field, or background. Centered inside the green rectangle, which takes up two-thirds of the flag, is a vertical white crescent symbol, facing away from the hoist (left) side. Red represents the sacrificial blood of those who fought for independence and the nation’s sovereignty; the green represents prosperity and progress; and the white crescent stands for the archipelagic nation’s Islamic faith.

Independence: July 26, 1965 (from the UK)

Government type: republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: Islamic religious legal system with English common law influences, primarily in commercial matters

The Republic of Maldives is a South Asian country in the Indian Ocean, roughly 500 kilometers (310 miles) southwest of India. Often called by its shortened name, the Maldives consists of 1,190 tiny islands in a chain of twenty-six atolls; only about 200 of the islands are inhabited. The coral reefs provide marine habitat for hundreds of species, making the Maldives a paradise for scuba divers. The Maldives is one of the smallest countries in the world and has an evolving, democratic political system.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: The Maldives has a young population, with a median age of 31.9 years in 2024. Life expectancy at birth is 79.9 years for women and 75.1 years for men (2024 estimate). Since the islands are small (no single island is larger than 13 square kilometers/5 square miles), population density is high, estimated at 1,746 persons per square kilometer in 2023, according to the United Nations (UN) World Statistics Pocketbook.

There are concerns about population growth overwhelming the islands’ national resources. With only a small amount of arable land and fresh water, the country may be reaching the limit of the amount of people it can support.

The people of the Maldives are a mix of South Indian, Sinhalese, and Arab ethnicities. Arab sailors and later the Portuguese made stops at Malé. In the seventeenth century, the archipelago was under Dutch and then British protection. In 1965, the Maldives became completely independent.

People from Sri Lanka or India brought Buddhism to the area. In the twelfth century, the king converted to Islam and set up an Islamic sultanate. This was the form of government until 1968, when the country became a republic. The Arabs brought enslaved Africans, who eventually became part of the population.

The modern Maldivian population reflects the blend of these cultures. Sunni Islam is practiced by nearly the entire population; it is the official state religion, and adherence is required by law. Belief in spirits, both good and bad, also persists in the Maldives. Known as jinni, these spirits occupy the trees, the sea, and the sky, and can cause disease and hardship or bring prosperity.

The official language, Dhivehi, is a Sinhalese dialect written in Arabic script. English is also spoken and is often used in government business.

The capital, Malé, is the most populous area of the Maldives, with about 177,000 residents in 2018. The next most populous area in the islands is Hulhumalé.

Indigenous People: It is thought that the Maldives were settled by Dravidian people from India about 2,500 years ago. Other archipelagos in the Indian Ocean, such as the Seychelles, were settled only in recent times and have a strong African influence. The Maldives were settled much earlier by migrants from India, and so the islands’ culture has a more Asian influence. More recently, immigrants from Arab countries and from Africa have added to the country’s ethnic composition.

Education: Traditionally, education in the Maldives has consisted of studying the Qur’an, reading and writing Dhivehi, and learning basic arithmetic skills. In 1961, the educational system was changed to more closely resemble the English model.

Primary schooling is compulsory and most students continue on to secondary school. The country does suffer from a shortage of qualified teachers, however.

The average adult literacy rate in the Maldives is 97.9 percent, one of the highest rates in the South Asia and Indian Ocean region (2021 estimate).

Health Care: In recent decades, public health in the Maldives has improved in most categories. The government’s extensive immunization program has almost eliminated such diseases as polio, whooping cough, diphtheria, and tetanus. However, maternal and infant death rates are still high. Malaria has been a problem throughout the islands, due in part to the humid climate. Also, there is concern about the country’s rapid population growth.

There is a high incidence of the blood disease thalassemia among Maldivians. The disease can be controlled with medication, and the Maldivian Society for Health Education has been working to provide education and testing for the disease.

Maldives's HDI value for 2022 is 0.762— which put the country in the High human development category—positioning it at 87 out of 193 countries and territories.

Food: The mainstay of the Maldivian diet is fish, mostly tuna and sailfish. Other staples are rice and coconut. Rice is imported, so although it is a widely eaten, it is often expensive. Fish is typically prepared by boiling, smoking or frying. Popular seafood dishes include fish curries, fish soup and a dish called mas huni, made from fish, onion, coconut, and chiles.

Breadfruit and taro are common ingredients in Maldivian cuisine; both are grown on the islands. A nut called arecanut or betel nut is chewed along with betel leaves as a stimulant. Common snacks include gulha (fried fish balls), kulhi boakiba (a spicy fish cake) and folhi (a pancake of flour, coconut and sugar). Special foods are prepared for celebrations following Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.

Arts & Entertainment: Traditional music and dance in the Maldives is based on the bodu beru, a large drum. Starting with a slow beat and dance step, the tempo accelerates into a frenzied rhythm. Traditional music is played by groups of four to six drummers.

The Huvadhoo Atoll is renowned for the woven grass mats produced by the women there. These mats are colored with natural dyes from plants in the area. Geometric patterns are used to decorate the mats, because of the orthodox Muslim prohibition against the portrayal of human figures in art.

Thulhaadhoo, an island northwest of Malé, is known for producing lacquerware dishes. Hardwood is shaped to make a pot or bowl, then lacquer is applied to the wood in layers; this coating is then polished to form a hard, glossy shell.

Holidays: Maldivians celebrate their Independence Day on July 26; the country obtained its independence from Great Britain on this date in 1965. Republic Day, celebrated on November 11, commemorates the establishment of the republic in 1968.

Victory Day (November 3) commemorates a 1988 incident in which a group of Tamil mercenaries tried to take over the government. The coup was put down with the help of troops from India.

Maldivians also celebrate a number of Islamic religious holidays, including Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fithr, Hajj Day, Eid-ul Al'haa, Islamic New Year's Day, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, and the day Maldives embraced Islam.

Environment and Geography

Topography: The atolls that form the Maldives are actually the tops of the Laccadive-Chagos Ridge. The word “atoll” comes from a Dhivehi word “atholhu.”

The Maldives is situated at a very low elevation, averaging 1.2 meters (3.9 feet). There are no rivers; the islands’ supply of fresh water comes from underground wells.

The highest point is on Wilingili Island in the Addu Atoll at an elevation of 2.4 meters (7.9 feet) above sea level. The highest point in the Maldives is the lowest high point of any country in the world.

The warm water surrounding the Maldives is perfect for the quick growth of coral, and over two hundred different species of hard coral are found in the reef surrounding the islands. Hard coral is formed from the skeletons of tiny creatures called polyps. As the coral piles up and recedes into the sea, it leaves C-shaped atolls and lagoons behind. The reef provides a habitat for a myriad of marine life.

Natural Resources: The Maldives’ only real natural resources are the abundance of fish, and the natural beauty of the surrounding waters and coral reef.

Environmental challenges faced by the Maldives include the depletion of fresh groundwater combined with population growth, and rising sea levels due to global warming. The islands also sustained extensive damage during the tsunami caused by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean in December 2004.

Plants & Animals: A wide variety of marine life, including clownfish, damselfish, surgeonfish, triggerfish, and whitetip sharks, thrive in the lagoons throughout the Maldives.

Outside the lagoons, an amazing number of marine species can be found. Over one thousand have been counted, making Maldives one of the richest marine environments in the world. Species include the manta ray, the whale shark, reef fish, angelfish, groupers, and many others. Sharks, turtles, and dolphins are commonly found in the waters surrounding the Maldives.

The wildlife found on land is not nearly as diverse; the land animals of the Maldives are similar to those found in Sri Lanka and India. The exception is the fruit bat, which is native to the Maldives. Most other species have been brought to the islands either intentionally or accidentally. The black rat and house mouse probably arrived on the islands aboard ships from foreign ports. Geckos and nonpoisonous snakes may be found on some of the islands.

Approximately seventy species of butterflies and over one hundred of birds have been sighted in the Maldives. Most of these are migratory species that stop over on the islands. The most common birds are the house crow, the koel, and the gray heron. In recent years, the crow population has approached pest proportions. Sea birds such as the tern and white-tailed tropic bird are also common.

Plants native to the Maldives include hau (used for making mats), bamboo, mango and breadfruit trees, and the coconut palm. The vegetation on most of the islands consists of scrub brush.

Climate: The Maldives lie across the equator, so the climate is tropical, with typically hot and humid weather. The daytime temperatures range from 24 to 33 degrees Celsius (75 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit). The ocean temperature is a constant 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit).

The Maldives is affected by two monsoon seasons. The northeast monsoon lasts from November to April, and is mostly dry with gentle winds. The southwest monsoon appears from May to October, and features heavy rains and higher seas. Average annual rainfall is approximately 1,900 millimeters (74 inches).

In December 2004, a tsunami killed eighty-two people in the Maldives and damaged wide swaths of the country. Almost 30,000 people lost their homes. Total losses were estimated to be US$472 million, equivalent to more than 60 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Economy

The economy of the Maldives depends heavily on tourism and fishing. In 2023 the country's GDP was US$11.651 billion, with per capita GDP estimated at US$22,400. In 2017, the service industry employed about two-thirds of the country's labor force, with the remaining third employed in industry or agriculture.

Industry: Fishing and related activities comprise the largest industry in the Maldives after tourism. Dried, frozen, and canned fish is exported. Fish, including tuna, skipjack, and stripe-bellied bonito, are typically among the most significant and profitable exports from the islands. Major export partners in 2019 included Thailand, the United States, and China.

The Maldives have been involved in the cowrie trade since the ninth century. Cowrie shells were used as currency in Africa until the 1900s. The shells are still exported today.

Other industries of note in the Maldives include shipping and shipbuilding, artisan goods, rope production, and sand and coral extraction.

Agriculture: The unique composition of the coral islands makes only a small percentage of the country's land suitable for agriculture. The soil that is cultivated is poor in plant nutrients.

Most food is imported, especially rice. The most important crops grown in the Maldives include coconuts, papayas, corn, and sweet potatoes. On some islands, pineapple and citrus fruits are grown.

Tourism: Tourism is an expanding industry in the Maldives. Though the sector suffered a significant hit in 2020 following the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the industry soon recovered. By 2022 the number of international arrivals had surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with over 1.67 million tourists traveling to the Maldives that year, according to the UN World Tourism Organization. Tourists generally stay in resort areas isolated from the general populace. There are resorts on eighty of the islands. Scuba diving among the islands’ extensive coral reef is a popular tourist activity.

The Islamic Center in Malé is the most famous landmark in the Maldives. The gold-domed building houses a library, conference hall, and the Grand Mosque. Woodcarvings and calligraphy by Maldivian artists decorate the prayer hall. Rasrani Bageecha (formerly Sultan Park) is located on part of the former royal palace.

Ribudhoo Island is known as the goldsmith’s island, and Hulhudheli is known for its silversmiths. The goldsmiths melt down ancient coins to fashion jewelry.

Government

The Maldives gained independence from Great Britain in 1965 and became a republic in 1968. A new constitution was adopted in 2008. The country is divided into twenty-one administrative atolls.

The executive branch consists of a president, who is both chief of state and head of the government and serves for a maximum of two five-year terms, and a vice president. The president is elected by direct vote with run-off voting when there are three or more candidates. The Cabinet of Ministers is appointed by the president.

The legislative branch consists of a unicameral parliament, the People’s Majlis, with eighty-seven seats filled by direct election for five-year terms.

The legal system of the Maldives is based on Islamic law, with English common law used in commercial fields. The highest court is the Supreme Court, consisting of a chief justice and four other judges appointed by the president with input from the Judicial Service Commission, a ten-member body made up of both government officials and members of the public.

After riots in Malé in 2004, the government instituted a program of democratic reforms, including broader political representation. In May 2005, the Majlis endorsed a proposal to begin a multiparty political system. The first multiparty election was held in 2009; however, the president elected at that time, Mohamed Nasheed, stepped down following opposition protests in 2012, amid unsubstantiated rumors of a coup. Then, in 2018, when the Supreme Court vacated the convictions of nine opposition politicians and ordered their release, President Abdulla Yameen responded by arresting two justices and a former president and declaring multiple national states of emergency. After Yameen lost his reelection bid that year, the country experienced a peaceful transition of power to a winning coalition that vowed to enact democratic reforms. In 2022 Yameen was charged with corruption and sent to prison.

The Republic of Maldives is a member of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and the Organization of Islamic Conference, among other international organizations.

In 2023, Mohamed Muizzu defeats President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Interesting Facts

• Huvadhoo Atoll is the largest atoll in the world. It has a lagoon that measures 112 kilometers (70 miles) in diameter.
• There are more than forty known shipwrecks in the waters around the Maldives, ranging from ancient craft to a ship sunk in 1981. Divers can visit many of these shipwrecks.
• At an undersea restaurant at a resort in the Maldives, diners can view marine life and the coral reef through clear walls. In 2018, the world's first underwater resort hotel opened in the Maldives as well.
• Bioluminescent plankton can be seen lighting up the ocean waves at night from certain Maldives beaches.

Bibliography

"Maldives." Human Development Reports, United Nations Development Programme, 13 Mar. 2024, hdr.undp.org/data-center/specific-country-data#/countries/MDV. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

"Maldives." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 2 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/maldives/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

Maldives: 2019 Annual Research—Key Highlights. World Travel and Tourism Council, 2019, www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic-impact-research/countries-2019/maldives2019.pdf. Accessed 8 July 2019.

"Maldives Country Profile." BBC News, 16 Oct. 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12651486. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.

"Maldives Tourism Updates." Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Maldives, 20 July 2023, webunwto.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2023-07/Tourism+Update+20+Jul+2023‗0.pdf. Accessed 8 Nov. 2023.

Sauerborn, Djan. The Archipelago State in Disarray: Internal and External Battle for the Maldives. Report no. 4, APSA, 2012.