Category: Maldives

Maldives, an island country is located in Indian Ocean and the country is an archipelago that consists of several islands. Male is the largest city and capital of Maldives. The nation is traditionally a King’s Island where Royal dynasties ruled the country. The island nation consists of 1,190 islands grouped together in the form of double chain. Gan is the largest island of Maldives and over 80% of the land comprises of coral islands. Different types of ecosystems exist in the marine waters of Maldives. The waters consist of 300 fish species and 200s of coral reefs. According to the historical evidences, the first inhabitants of the island were Dravidians.

Maldives was under the rule of Islamic sultanate from 1153-1968 and from 1887- 1965, the country became the British protectorate. The country is a republic with President is the head of the government as well as the head of the state. Executive power is vested on the President and the president appoints the cabinet approved by the parliament. Before 2008, there was no constitution under the 30 years rule of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. New constitution was made in 2008 and the direct elections for the president occurred after that. Maldives is divided in to seven provinces which consist of separate administrative divisions.

The economy of the country largely depends on tourism. Fishing and other sea products also supports the economy of the country. Population of Maldives is 396,334 and existence of social stratification is there even though it is not strong. The official religion of the country is Islam and other religious practices are forbidden in the country. The common and official language of Maldives is Dhivehi which is similar to that of the ancient Sinhalese. English is another language used widely as the instructional medium in government schools and commerce.

Maldives is known for the beautiful atolls making it the favorite tourist destination of several international tourists. Maldives is a paradise for the tourists with its coral islands, water sports, fishing and lagoons. Several mosques in Maldives are worth visiting and some of them are Hukuru Miskiiy and Grand Friday Mosque. Hukuru Miskiiy is the oldest mosque and Grand Friday Mosque is the biggest mosque. Another major attraction in the country is National Museum of Maldives. Fish market is a famous tourist spot where you can find a variety of fish products. Because of the presence of several islands, the tourists can enjoy water sports such as scuba diving, diving, snorkeling, boat sailing and para sailing.

Several islands of the country have exotic spas which offer unique experience to the tourists. Mulee-aage Palace is a major destination of Maldives which provide the travelers an idea on the history of the country. Esjehi Art Gallery is located in an ancient building of Maldives of Sultan Park. Maldives have several sandy beaches rich in tropical fruits and coconuts. Mohammed Thakurufaanu Tomb is must see tourist attraction built in memorial of Sultan Ghaazee Mohammed Thakurufaanu who is the national hero liberated Maldives from Portuguese colonial rule.