QUICK FACTS
Location : Indian Ocean - southwest of Sri Lanka and straddling the
equator vertically from North to South.
Area: 90,000 square kilometers (1,190 islands).
Immediate Neighbors: India and Sri Lanka (both located northeast of
Maldives).
Latitude: 07 06'30" N to 00 41'48" S.
Longitude: 72 32'30" E to 73 45'54" E.
Political Status: Republic.
Capital: Male' (area: 1.77 square kilometers).
Airport: Male' International Airport on Hulhule Island, two
kilometers east of Male'.
Literacy Rate: 98.2% (age group 10 - 45 yrs)
Temperature: 30.4° C (mean maximum), 25.4° C (mean minimum).
Average Annual Rainfall: 1948.2 mm.
Local Time: GMT + 5 hours.
Dialing Code: 00 960.
Electricity: 220 V - 230 V.
Currency: Maldivian Rufiyaa (USD 1 = Rufiyaa12.85). |
MALDIVIAN ISLANDS
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
expense 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 cover a total area of 104, 00.00 sq. kilometers. These 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. |
BRIEF HISTORY
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 head of state. It was converted to Islam in the 12th
century AD. Maldives has been a 100% Muslim state for more than 800
years.
Although official Maldivian history only begins in the twelfth
century, literary works and archeological remains provide clues to
earlier pre-Islamic eras. Maldives was a port of call for many great
sea faring civilizations that roamed the seas, long before European
maritime history began. A roman coin dated 90 BC has been discovered
in the Maldives, and since it was the Egyptians who taught the
Romans how to cross the Indian Ocean, it may be fanciful to imagine
the great Egyptian papyrus boats with their colorful square sails
sailing towards the Maldives. Perhaps the Maldavians modeled the
elegant curved bows of their boats from the Egyptians, and the
women, the beautifully embroidered collar pieces of their dresses.
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EARLY VISITORS
The first reference to Maldives is in the second century writings of
the Greek astronomer, mathematician and geographer, Ptolemy, who
refers to it as "1378 little islands west of Taprobane (Sri Lanka).
Since then, many travelers have referred to it.
Pappus Alexandria who lived at the end of the 4th century mentions
Taprobane and the 1370 adjacent islands.
Scholasticus, the Theban who visited the Malabar Coasts mentions "a
thousand islands and their treacherous nature since they had
loadstone rocks which attracted iron-bound vessels to their
destruction".
The Persian Merchant Suleiman (9th century) who crossed the Indian
Ocean wrote: "in the sea known as the sea of Herkend, there are
nearly 1900 islands and the ruler is a woman, and that their wealth
consisted of cowries".
Ma Huan who traveled with Cheng Ho's great expedition to east Africa
in 1433, identifies some of the islands and tells how foreign travel
from afar to purchase ropes, in his overall survey of the ocean's
chores.
At the time of the Ming Dynasty, the Chinese were familiar with the
islands and called it the submerged mountain chain (Liu Shan), and
wrote about the climate, geography, and customs of these islands.
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LOCAL POPULATION
More than 270,000 according to the 1999 census. Origin of the
Maldivians is lost in antiquity, but history reveals that the
islands have been populated for over 3,000 years. Early settlers
were travelers on the Silk Route and from the Indus Valley
Civilization. Inherently warm, friendly and hospitable by nature, it
is easy to feel comfortable and relaxed with a Maldivian.
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CULTURE
A proud history and rich culture evolved from the first settlers who
hailed from different parts of the world. The Maldives has been a
melting pot of different cultures as people from different parts of
the world came here and settled down in ancient times. Some of the
local music and dances for instance resemble African influences,
with hand beating of drums and songs in a language that is not known
to any but certainly represents that of East African countries. As
one would expect, there is great South Asian influence in some of
the music and dancing and especially in the traditional food of the
Maldivians. However many of the South Asian customs, especially with
regard to women - for instance the Sub Continent's tradition of
secluding women from the public - are not tenets of life here. In
fact women play a major role in society - not surprising considering
the fact that men in rural islands spend the whole day out at sea
fishing. Many of the traditions are strongly related to the sea as
life is dependent on the seas around us. |
LANGUAGE
Dhivehi is the national language which is spoken in all parts of the
Maldives, however in certain cases in different dialects. English is
widely spoken by Maldivians and visitors can easily make themselves
understood getting around the capital island. In the resorts, a
variety of languages are spoken by the staff including English,
German, French, Italian and Japanese. |
GEOGRAPHY
1,190 coral islands, forming an archipelago of 26 major atolls.
Stretches 820 kilometers North to South and 130 kilometers East to
West at its widest point. 200 islands are inhabited and 87 islands
are exclusive tourist resorts. |
CLIMATE
Generally warm and humid. Sun shines all year through. Average
temperature varies between around 29 - 32 degrees Celsius. |
ECONOMY
The Maldives' economy has been growing at an annual average of 8%
for the past two decades. Tourism is the main industry, contributing
close to 40% of the GDP. Fisheries, trade and construction follow
close behind. The Maldivian economy is regarded as exemplary in the
region and welcomes foreign investment. The GDP per capita currently
stands at around US$ 2,300.00, which is a figure much higher than
any other South Asian economy. |
TOURISM
Resorts in the Maldives woo tourists with promises of 'the last
paradise on earth', and if your idea of paradise is a pristine
tropical island with swaying palm trees, pure white beaches and
brilliant turquoise lagoons, then the Maldives will not disappoint.
It's also a major destination for scuba divers, who come for the
fabulous coral reefs and the wealth of marine life. But it's not a
place for low budget backpackers or amateur anthropologists who want
to travel independently and live as the locals do.
Tourism in the Maldives is carefully managed. The country's tourism
master plan identifies both the underwater environment and 'the
Robinson Caruso factor' as major attractions, but these are not seen
as compatible with large-scale, low budget, mass tourism. The lack
of local resources makes it necessary to import virtually everything
a visitor needs, from furniture to fresh vegetables, so the Maldives
cannot really compete on price. The strategy has been to develop a
limited number of quality resorts, each on its own uninhabited
island, free from traffic, crime and crass commercialism.
The Maldivian tourism strategy also aims to minimize the adverse
effects of tourism on traditional Muslim communities. Tourists can
make short guided visits to local fishing villages, but must then
return to their resort. Most are satisfied with this glimpse of
local life and culture, but to stay longer or to travel to atolls
outside the tourism zone requires a good reason, a special permit,
and a local person to sponsor the visitor. Most tourists come to
understand the restrictions after a short visit to an accessible
island - it is difficult to imagine how isolated Maldivian
communities would benefit from extended stays by an uncontrolled
number of tourists.
Like it or not, this highly regulated tourist industry has been
enormously successful - there are more and better resorts, a steady
increase in visitor numbers, and a minimal impact on the natural and
social environment. The Maldives is internationally recognized as a
model for sustainable and environment-friendly tourist development.
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TOURIST SEASONS
November through April being the peak season, reservations for stay
must be made well in advance. From May to October the demand and
costs for accommodation are comparatively lower. In June and July,
the Maldives experiences regular showers with monsoons bringing in
more wind and rain. |
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