Maldives officially the Republic of Maldives is an archipelagic country south of the Indian subcontinent astride the ArabianSea on the Indian Ocean. The Maldives lies to the southwest of SriLanka and India about 750 kilometers from #India’s mainland. The Maldives is a chain of 26 atolls that stretches from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to Addu Atoll in the south of Equator. Spread over 90,000 sq. km of sea, the total land area of all the islands is just 298 sq. km.
Maldives is one of the world’s most geographically dispersed sovereign states and the smallest Asian country by land area and 2nd smallest by population. Maldives consists of 1,192 coral islands grouped in a double chain of 26 atolls that are organised into 21 administrative divisions. Malé is the capital and the most populated city, traditionally called the “King’s Island” from where the ancient royal dynasties ruled. Maldives is located on the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge, a vast submarine mountain range in the Indian Ocean.
The Maldives were believed to have been formed around 68 million years ago as a hotspot that spawned the Deccan Traps in India. 10,000 years ago, the coralreefs started to take growth on Pleistocene foundations. The average elevation is a mere 1.5 metres with highest natural point of only 5.1 metres making it one of the world’s lowest-lying country. In 1988, the authorities had claimed that sealevel rise would “completely cover this Indian Ocean nation of 1196 small islands in next 30 years. An environmentally sensitive area, other than sea level rise bad waste disposal is a problem in the Maldives. Most trash from Malé and other resorts is simply dumped at Thilafushi. According to legends, the first settlers of Maldives were people known as Dheyvis.
The first Kingdom of the Maldives was known as Dheeva Maari. In the 3rd century BC during the visit by emissaries Emperor Asoka, Maldives was known as Dheeva Mahal. During the 1100 century, Maldives was also referred to as Diva Kudha. The name Maldives may also have been derived from Sanskrit words mālā (garland) and dvīpa (island). The ancient history of Maldives is told in copperplates, ancient scripts carved on coral artifacts, traditions, language, and different ethnicities of Maldivians including the 1,400-year-long Buddhist period. This was followed by Islamic influence with the arrival of Arab traders. The last Buddhist king of Maldives, Dhovemi, converted to Islam in mid 1100s to become Sultan Muhammad al-Adil.
Series of six Islamic dynasties followed until 1932 when the sultanate became constitutional monarchy. In 1558 the Portuguese established trading post in the Maldives administered from Goa. In mid-17th century, Dutch who were dominant power in Ceylon, established hegemony over Maldivian affairs without involving themselves in local matters. The British expelled Dutch from Ceylon in 1796 making the Maldives a British Protectorate, which was accepted by the sultan. When the Sultan’s powers were taken over by Chief Minister, Maldives became constitutional monarchy in 1932 and the first constitution was proclaimed.
Maldives has historic strong commercial and cultural ties with Asia and Africa. Lying on the crossroads to India, Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887, gaining independence in 1965, becoming a presidential republic in 1968. WorldBank lists Maldives as an upper-middle-income economy with tourism and fishing being the most important and perhaps the only economic activity.
Maldives is home to a variety of marine ecosystems that vary from planktonic organisms to whale sharks. It has a range of different habitats including deepsea, shallow coast, and reef ecosystems, fringing mangroves, wetlands and dry land. There are 187 species of corals that house 1,100 species of fish, 5 species of sea turtle, 21 species of whale and dolphin, 400 species of mollusc, 83 species of echinoderms; as well as a number of crustacean species including 120 copepods, 15 amphipods, more than 145 crab and 48 shrimp species. All of which make a beautiful spectacle to watch for marine life enthusiasts.
Despite potential till the early 1970s, Maldives was one of the world’s 20 poorest countries, dependent on fisheries and trading local goods. Economic reform program in the 1980s ensured that influx of tourist started boosting the local economy. The uninhabited islands were thrown open for boosting tourism by setting up numerous beach resorts, sea resorts. The number of resorts increased from 2 to 92 between 1972 and 2007. As of 2008, there are 89 resorts. In 2019 before onset of COVID19 pandemic induced lockdown and travel bans, over 1.7 million visitors had visited the islands.
The culture of the Maldives is influenced by the cultures of the people of different ethnicities who have settled on the islands throughout the times, as such alongside Buddhist Islamic traditions are followed by people of the island. Male is the sole entry point for the country with its international airport. The rest of the islands are either connected by speed boats, dhow, ya,tch or sea planes. Recently a step towards land connectivity was started when India signed a contract to build sea bridges to connect Male with 4 other nearby islands. Known for its white beaches, turquoise waters, and dreamy overwater bungalow resorts;
Maldives islands are protected by a reef structure, housing one of the most exclusive and spectacular underwater life. A must-visit destination for advdentureseekers, to enjoy scubadivinng, swimming, jetski ride, snorkling, diving, underwaterscooter ride, surfing, parasailing, coral watching, whalewatching dolphine watching and much more. Guided tours are organized on boats with glass bottom to watch exotic marine life across various islands. There are numerous restaurants on several islands that serve a variety of Indian, Chinese, and international cuisine. Maldives is a perfect destination for newly married honeymoon couples, lovers seeking alone time, as well as family vacationers. The islands are perfect for an extended weekend visit to even a month-long visits.
