25 Interesting Facts About the Maldives
The Maldives is a small country that accumulates big superlatives. Here are twenty-five genuinely factual, genuinely interesting things about the island nation.
Geography
- 1. The Maldives is the lowest-lying country on earth, with average ground elevation around 1.5 metres above sea level.
- 2. It is Asia's smallest country by both land area and population.
- 3. The nation comprises 26 natural atolls containing around 1,190 islands, of which only about 200 are inhabited.
- 4. Despite its tiny land area, its territory spans roughly 90,000 square kilometres of ocean — more than 99 percent of the country is water.
- 5. The archipelago straddles the equator; its southernmost atoll, Addu, lies in the southern hemisphere.
- 6. There are no rivers, streams or hills anywhere in the country.
- 7. The word atoll entered English from the Dhivehi word atholhu — one of the language's gifts to the world.
History and society
- 8. The Maldives converted to Islam in 1153 and has remained Muslim ever since.
- 9. Before Islam, the islands were Buddhist for over a thousand years.
- 10. It was a British protectorate from 1887 until independence on 26 July 1965 — but was never a colony, keeping internal self-rule.
- 11. The sultanate was abolished in 1968, creating the current republic.
- 12. Dhivehi is written in Thaana, a script that runs right to left and whose first letters derive from Arabic numerals.
- 13. Malé is among the most densely populated cities on the planet, housing roughly a third of all Maldivians on a few square kilometres.
- 14. The weekend traditionally falls on Friday and Saturday.
Nature
- 15. The Maldives banned shark fishing throughout its waters, effectively creating a nationwide shark sanctuary.
- 16. Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll hosts one of the world's great manta ray gatherings, with whale sharks joining seasonal plankton feasts.
- 17. Baa Atoll was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2011.
- 18. Whale sharks — the largest fish on earth — can be seen year-round in Maldivian waters, notably around South Ari Atoll.
- 19. Some beaches glow at night with bioluminescent plankton, the famous sea of stars effect.
- 20. The coconut palm is the national tree and the fruit bat, or flying fox, is one of the very few native mammals.
Modern Maldives
- 21. In 2009 the cabinet held a meeting underwater, ministers in scuba gear signing a climate declaration on the seabed.
- 22. The first resort, Kurumba, opened in 1972; tourism is now the largest industry.
- 23. Hulhumalé is an artificial island, reclaimed from a lagoon and built deliberately higher than natural islands as a climate hedge.
- 24. Importing alcohol is prohibited for everyone — even airport duty-free bottles are held at the border.
- 25. The national flag's crescent reflects Islam, on a red field bordering green honouring the nation's heroes and the palm.
FAQ
What is the Maldives most famous for?
Being the lowest, flattest country on earth — and turning that geography into the world's most celebrated overwater luxury tourism.
How many islands does the Maldives have?
Around 1,190, grouped into 26 natural atolls, with roughly 200 inhabited and well over 100 developed as resorts.
Why did the Maldives hold an underwater cabinet meeting?
The 2009 stunt dramatised the nation's vulnerability to sea-level rise ahead of international climate negotiations.
