Millions of years ago, in a tumult of geological change, a great range of volcanoes rose from the floor of the Indian Ocean. Over the years the volcanoes sank back leaving only coral reefs in the expanse of the sea. They finally transformed into tiny islands, and adventurous sailors in search of wealth, drifted upon them.
Only an hour's flight away from India or Sri Lanka, the Maldives today is best known for its white sandy beaches, crystalline lagoons and azure blue skies - a holiday maker's dream.
The Maldives Islands comprises of roughly 1190 small coral islands, and covers a total area of 104,00.00 sq. Kilometers. These islands are no more than six feet above sea level and lie 73 degrees East Equator. The islands are grouped into nineteen administrative 'atolls', and vary in size and character. Some are sandbanks, while others are tropical islands, with lush vegetation, ringed with coral reefs, turquoise lagoons full of marine life, and white sandy beaches.
E C O N O M Y
The predominant industries in the Maldives are fishing and tourism. Maldives exports canned tuna, dried and frozen fish, tropical aquarium fish and also fresh frozen Shashimi - all caught from the uncontaminated and chemical free waters of the Maldives. The Tourist arrivals have maintained a growth of about 10% over the last many years. Maldives now receives over 300,000 tourists per year. Several scheduled air services as well as charter flights serve the capital Male'. It is about 10 hours flying from London via Dubai, or 4 hours from Karachi, 1 hour from Colombo and 4 hours from Singapore.
B R I E F H I S T O R Y
The country has a long and eventful history and has been an independent sovereign state except for a brief occupation by the Portuguese during the 16th century. Maldives became a British Protectorate in the mid-fifties and gained full independence in July 26, 1965. That same year it also became a member of the United Nations. The country has a Republican government with an elected president as the head of the state. It was converted to Islam in the 12th century AD. Maldives has been a100% Muslim State for more than 800 years.
P E O P L E
Maldivians are a homogenous people - of one race, one culture, and one religion, Islam. The people are friendly and naturally "sunny and warm". The population of the Maldives is around 260,000. with a literacy rate of 98%. From the 1960's English medium Education has been introduced and is now universalized. The Maldivian language, Dhivehi, is the national language. And is a derivation of a mix of Sinhalese, Tamil, Urdu, Persian and Arabic. The Maldivian script is known as 'Thaana" and it written from left to right. Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean, to the South West of India.
I N H A B I T E D I S L A N D S
There are a total of 1190 islands and only 207 islands are inhabited.
