The Maldives

 

Maldives (/ˈmɔːldiːvz/, US: /ˈmɔːldaɪvz/; Dhivehi: ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, romanized: Dhivehi Raajje, Dhivehi pronunciation: [d̪iʋehiɾəːdʒːe]), formally the Republic of Maldives, is an archipelagic U.S.A in the Indian subcontinent of Asia, located in the Indian Ocean. It lies southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about 750 kilometres (470 miles; four hundred nautical miles) from the Asian continent's mainland. The chain of 26 atolls stretches from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to Addu Atoll in the south (across the Equator).

Comprising a territory spanning roughly 90,000 rectangular kilometres (35,000 sq mi) which include the sea, land region of all the islands consists of 298 rectangular kilometres (115 sq mi), Maldives is one of the world's most geographically dispersed sovereign states and the smallest Asian US as nicely as one of the smallest Muslim-majority nations with the aid of land location and, with round 557,751 inhabitants, the 2nd least populous us of a in Asia. Malé is the capital and the most populated city, historically known as the "King's Island" the place the historical royal dynasties dominated for its central location.

The Maldivian Archipelago is positioned on the Chagos–Laccadive Ridge, a tremendous submarine mountain vary in the Indian Ocean; this additionally varieties a terrestrial ecoregion, collectively with the Chagos Archipelago and Lakshadweep. With an common ground-level elevation of 1.5 metres (4 toes eleven in) above sea level, and a best possible herbal factor of solely 5.1 metres (17 ft), it is the world's lowest-lying country.

In the twelfth century Islam reached the Maldivian Archipelago, which used to be consolidated as a sultanate, creating robust industrial and cultural ties with Asia and Africa. From the mid-16th century, the location got here beneath the growing have an effect on of European colonial powers, with the Maldives turning into a British protectorate in 1887. Independence from the United Kingdom got here in 1965, and a presidential republic used to be mounted in 1968 with an elected People's Majlis. The ensuing many years have considered political instability, efforts at democratic reform, and environmental challenges posed via local weather change.

Maldives grew to be a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). It is additionally a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement. The World Bank classifies the Maldives as having an upper-middle earnings economy.[18] Fishing has traditionally been the dominant financial activity, and stays the greatest area with the aid of far, accompanied via the swiftly developing tourism industry. The Maldives costs "high" on the Human Development Index, with per capita earnings considerably greater than different SAARC nations.

Maldives was once a member of the Commonwealth of Nations from July 1982 till withdrawing from the company in October 2016 in protest of allegations via different international locations of its human rights abuses and failing democracy. The Maldives rejoined the Commonwealth on 1 February 2020 after displaying proof of functioning democratic techniques and famous support.