The Republic of Maldives is the smallest Asian country in the world. It is a collection of islands lost in the middle of the boundless Indian Ocean. Every year, land areas are more and more submerged in water and, according to researchers, they will soon face serious flooding.
Due to the melting of glaciers, the water level in the ocean is constantly rising, which may soon lead the islands of the Maldives to disaster. If you want to visit this truly paradise, where time seems to have stopped - hurry up! Its pristine beauty will not leave anyone indifferent - snow-white sandy beaches, blue lagoons, evergreen tropical trees will forever remain in the soul of any traveler.
Where is the Maldives on the map? Geographical position of the state
The Maldives on the world map is hard to find. This small country is located in the Indian Ocean, south of the Hindustan Peninsula and south ofwest of Ceylon. Its closest neighbors are India (595 km), Sri Lanka (670 km) and the Chagos Archipelago (500 km). You can see the Maldives on the map below.
The Republic of Maldives is a coral archipelago, the length of which from west to east is 130 km, and from north to south - 823 km. It consists of 1196 small islands of presumably volcanic origin. They form a double chain of 26 atolls - large coral land areas that look like a bursting ring. The largest and most significant are South Male Atoll, Dhaalu Atoll (Dhaalu Atoll), Mimu Atoll, Fafu Atoll (North Niland), Ari Atoll. The distance between groups of coral islands varies from 25 to 80 km.
The total area of land and water reefs of the Maldives is 298 square meters. km., and the total area, together with the water area, is 900,000 sq. km. Of more than 1,100 islands, only 202 are inhabited, of which more than 70 are first-class tourist resorts.
Historical background
Extremely little information has been preserved about the early history of the Republic of Maldives. It is believed that the culture of the Maldives appeared before the 5th century BC. Fragments of pottery found during excavations suggested that settlements of the Redins were founded on the islands as early as 2000 BC. In 500 BC Buddhists appeared on the southern islands, who arrived from about. Ceylon. This fact is confirmed by an ancient Buddhist manuscript and the head of a Buddha statue,dating from the 11th century. The first Chinese sailors reached the islands of the Maldives in 412. From 1153 - from the moment of the adoption of Islam - all major historical events were recorded in the history of the Sultanate.
According to numerous testimonies of navigators, for a long time the islands were ruled by female sultanas. Europeans up to the 15th century. knew nothing about the country and did not mark the Maldives on the world map until Vasco da Gama crossed the Indian Ocean. In 1507, Lorenzo de Almeida sailed to the islands, and in 1529, the Parmentier brothers. From 1558, the Portuguese dominated the islands until a guerrilla war broke out and they were destroyed. Further, until 1760, the Maldives were under the protection of the French, and from the middle of the 17th century. - the Dutch, and then the British. In mid-1965, after massive popular uprisings, the Maldives gained independence from Great Britain. In 1968, a new constitution was adopted, and the country acquired the official name - "Republic of the Maldives".
State flag
The modern version of the main state symbol of the country was adopted in July 1965. The flag of the Maldives is a red cloth, which depicts a green rectangle and a white crescent. It has a special symbolic meaning. The red color denotes the courage of the heroes who have defended and will defend their country without hesitation, sacrificing themselves and shedding blood. The green rectangle symbolizes the nature of the Maldives - coconut palms, which are the source of life for the indigenouspopulation. The white crescent symbolizes the religiosity of the Maldivians and reflects their adherence to Islam.
Economy of the Republic of Maldives
Now the Republic of Maldives is a democratic developing state with a president at the head.
The country's economy is based on three "pillars": tourism, navigation and fishing. Due to the mild climate, rich underwater world and amazingly beautiful coral reefs, crowds of tourists come here. Tuna fishing is carried out in the open sea, turtles are caught in the lagoons and not far from the coast, corals, shells and natural pearls are mined.
Official banknotes. Currency exchange
The currency of the Maldives is the rufiyaa. It consists of one hundred laari. One US dollar is approximately equal to a dozen rufiyaas. Banknotes of various denominations are in circulation throughout the country, including 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 rufiyaas, as well as coins - 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 lari.
You can exchange currency at any bank, airport or exchange office at the official rate. It will be difficult to make an exchange on islands remote from the capital, at a rather unfavorable rate. Basically, small bills are required for calculations, so stock up on them in sufficient quantities. Many expensive resorts accept US dollars and euros as well as credit cards.
Demography
The population of the archipelago is approximately 400 thousand people.human. Almost all of them are descendants of immigrants from the Middle East, South, Southeast Asia. The state language is called Dhivehi, it is a mixture of Arabic, English and Sinhala. The writing of the local dialect is based on the Arabic-Persian script. The indigenous population of the islands professes Islam (Sunnism). It was brought by the Arabs and spread from the 12th century. And in 1968, Islam was declared the state religion.
Capital of the Republic of Maldives
Currently is the capital of the Republic of Maldives Male - a small city located on the adjacent islands of Vilingile and Male. Its area is only 5.8 square meters. km. The population of Male is approximately 105 thousand people. You can get to the administrative, political and cultural center of the Maldives by air or sea, by boats, hydroplane taxis or speedboats plying between the islands.
You can see all the sights of Male by walking along it. When visiting the city, it is advisable to wear things that cover the body well from neck to knees. Almost all souvenir shops are located at the northern end of Chaandani Magu. Here you can buy Maldivian mats made of palm fiber, decorative fishing boats, canned fish and amazingly delicious seafood. In general, Male is not rich in sights, although an inquisitive tourist will like the shady Jumuri-Maidan park, the National Museumin Sultans Park, Islamic Center with Good Friday Mosque and Medu Ziyarat Chapel.
Climate in the Maldives
The archipelago has a tropical monsoon climate. All year round the air temperature is quite high, has a small amplitude and varies between 26°C - 32°C. At night it does not fall below 25°C. In winter - from November to March - the northeast, warm monsoons prevail. In summer - from June to August - southwestern, more humid winds prevail. It often rains a little at this time on the islands. The water temperature varies between 24°C - 27°C. In the "dry" season from November to early April, the Republic of Maldives attracts numerous tourists from all over the world. The mild, warm climate, comfortable sea temperature, lack of rain and strong winds make the islands so attractive for travelers.
It is interesting that a sufficient number of tourists visit the islands of the Maldives during the "wet" season. Despite the high humidity, a large amount of precipitation and raging winds, the influx of tourists does not subside. The fact is that from mid-April to early November, the cost of air tickets, accommodation and meals is significantly reduced, which attracts travelers who want to save money.
Flora and fauna
Famous all over the world for their amazing variety of marine fauna and flora of the Maldives. The sea is full of amazing corals. Schools of various exotic fish, turtles, jellyfish, mollusks, marinestars and hedgehogs, moray eels, stingrays attract diving and snorkeling enthusiasts.
Predators live in the waters of the Maldives - black-finned sharks and white-finned sharks, and huge ocean inhabitants - hammerhead sharks and whale sharks - swim here. But you can not be afraid of them, because they are non-aggressive and practically harmless to divers. To prevent accidents, as well as to preserve the unique flora and fauna in the Maldives, there are strict scuba diving restrictions. Including it is forbidden to dive to a depth of more than 30 m, it is forbidden to spend more than 60 minutes underwater, each diver must have a dive computer with him, etc. Terrestrial fauna and flora are not very diverse.
Breadfruit, coconut, banana palms, bamboo are widespread on many islands of the Maldives. Atolls - Daalu (Dhaalu) and Fafu - stand out for their lush vegetation. Exotic flowers grow here: hernandia lily, erminalia catappa, etc., there are impenetrable mangroves with huge ferns. There are no large animals in the Maldives, but you can meet a bat or an Indian flying fox. Terns, parrots, sea gulls, cormorants also live on the islands.
How to get to the archipelago?
The vast majority of tourists get to the Maldives by plane. The archipelago has an international airport named after Ibrahim Nasir. It is located on Hulule Island, 2 km. from the capital. The airportaccepts flights from different cities, including Moscow, Vienna, Qatar, Kuala Lumpur, etc.
On the official website of the airport, you can find all the necessary information, including see the time of arrival of aircraft, choose the right transfer for yourself, and even plan a trip. There is an ATM, a bank, a left-luggage office on the territory of the airport. You can have a snack or drink coffee in any of the cafes you like. To the left of the exit from the airport building is the pier. Ferries depart from it every 10-15 minutes to the capital of the country. The fare varies between 1-2 USD, depending on the time of day.
Great resorts. Maldives is a paradise for tourists
To the surrounding atolls, vacationers are delivered by small nimble seaplanes or boats. North and South Male, Ari, Baa, Miimu, Laviani, Haa Alifu, Faafu, Dhaalu atolls are the most beautiful resorts in the country, and each of them has its own zest.
There are more than 120 hotels in the Maldives, which can simultaneously serve about 50 thousand tourists. Basically, all hotels have 4 or 5 stars, it is extremely rare to find a hotel with a worse level of service. Also in the Maldives you can stay in a magnificent bungalow and enjoy privacy.
Recreation and entertainment
The beaches of the archipelago are the cleanest, with pleasant white sand. The water is amazingly warm and calm. The Maldives offers a respectable holiday, lack of noise and fuss and communication with a uniquenature. For outdoor enthusiasts there is a developed infrastructure of sports entertainment. In the resorts you can go sailing, canoeing, skiing, surfing and, of course, diving. Drinking alcohol, collecting and damaging corals, and spearfishing are prohibited on the beaches of the atolls.
It is worth noting that the use of alcoholic beverages is prohibited not only on the beaches, but also in any public places outside the resort area. Topless and nude swimming is also not allowed. In addition, it is forbidden to litter on the islands. Any violation of the order will result in a severe fine.
Maldives Customs
All travelers should familiarize themselves in advance with the list of goods that are allowed to import and export from the country. All luggage must be inspected by customs officers. It is allowed to import cigarettes (200 pcs.), Perfume (125 ml), personal consumption goods into the territory of the Republic of Maldives. It is not allowed to bring alcoholic drinks, pork, sausage, drugs and pornography. An attempt to violate the law is subject to a fine of 500 USD. Any tourist should remember that the export of products made from tortoise shells, pearl oyster shells, black and red corals is strictly prohibited. You can not export from the country and items found in the sea. Be careful and enjoy your holiday!
