Maldives

The Maldives, known to the locals in their native language (Dhivehi) as Dhivehi Raajje, are an archipelago of 1,192 coral islands grouped into 26 natural coral atolls in the Indian Ocean. They lie south-southwest of India and west of Sri Lanka. None of the coral islands measures more than 1.8 metres above sea level.

Only 192 islands are inhabited by its 300,000 inhabitants. The rest of the islands remain virgin islands except for more than 100 islands that have been developed for the top end of the tourist market.

With its abundant sea life and sandy beaches, The Maldives is portrayed by travel companies as a tropical paradise. Maldives was for the most part unknown to tourists until the early 1970s.

The economy revolves around tourism, and fisheries. Tourism accounts for 28% of the GDP. Over 90% of the state government income comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes.

The maldives.com website is owned by Traviqa Pvt Ltd, a travel agency based in Male’, The Republic of Maldives. You can also find us on Instagram our account is @officialmaldives

History of Maldives

The Maldives were inhabited as early as 1,500 BC, but much of the country’s origin is lost in tome due to lack of surviving written records. Large ruins and other archeological remains were found on islands which shows that the people of antiquity had certainly stumbled upon the country during their first travels. It is believed that immigrants by Aryan from Indian landmass permanently settled in around five hundred B.C. Numerous traditions, customary practices, and superstitious beliefs still prevail country likewise validate the impact of the early Dravidian culture of the Maldives. It is acknowledged that early Maldivians were Buddhists or Hindus migrating from the Indian landmass. Cowrie shells were used as a form of currency in the early period. Historical accounts of travelers revealed that they were traded in the 13th century. A single gold dinar was worth 400,000 shells.

Maldivian Culture & Heritage

The Maldivian language (Dhivehi) has its own script called Thaana that displays both an Abugaida and a true alphabet principal. The language is a bit similar to Sanskrit, Sinhalese and Arabic. The Maldivian food is mostly a natural blend of varietals. The most popular and refreshing drink is coconut juice or Kurumba. The popular dishes are mostly made with Tuna and reef fish, and a mixture of curries and spices from initial influence main Maldivian. Maldivian clothing is preferred to be cotton due to the tropical weather. Men traditionally wear sarongs wrapped around the waist with long sleeved shirt. And women wear what is called libaas, which is usually adorned with gold or silver threads, and the best ones are hand stitched.  

Maldivian Geography

The Capital Male'

Male’ is the capital of Maldives and has a population of approximately 133,412 people. The city is famous for many things such as, the colorful buildings, mosques, the Islamic center that features a distinctive gold dome and a library. The local fish market is also attracted by tourists and visitors. Male’ is the smallest capital in the world since it was built on a 2sqm island. Male’ is different from all the other islands in the Maldives. Male’ city has high buildings, paved roads, and very few trees. The streets are so narrow in male there can only be a limited amount of vehicles. Government offices are located in a specific area. The main streets host shops and offices. The old bazaar area is only dedicated to wholesale and retail trading. Area: 5.8 km² Elevation: 2.4 m Weather: 30°C, Wind NW at 8 km/h, 74% Humidity Local time: Wednesday 4:08 PM Population: 142,909 (2017) United Nations Geographic atoll: North Malé Atoll

General Geography

Maldives lies in the Indian Ocean, and is 717km from Srilanka and 430 km from India. Over 1192 islands disperse over an area of 90000 square kilometers southwest if Srilanka.   Every island is separate from other islands, there is a lagoon or a sea in between the islands. This archipelago is a chain of 1,192 coral islands grouped into twenty-six atolls, 200 inhabited islands, and 80 tourist resorts.

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