Coordinates: 3°12′10″N 73°13′14″E / 3.202778, 73.22068

ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމުހޫރިއްޔާ Divehi Rājje ge Jumhuriyyā Republic of Maldives
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: None
Anthem: Gavmii mi ekuverikan matii tibegen kuriime salaam "In National Unity Do We Salute Our Nation"
Capital (and largest city)		Malé
Official languages		Dhivehi
Demonym		Maldivian
Government		Presidential Republic
-	President	Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
Independent
-	from the UK	26 July 1965
Area
-	Total	298 km² (204th) 115 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	July 2006 estimate	300,000 (176th1)
-	2006 census	298,842 [1]
-	Density	1,105/km² (9th) 2,862/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$2. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. The flag of the Republic of Maldives is red with a large Green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical White Crescent; the closed side of the crescent The Maldivian National Emblem or Coat of Arms consists of a Coconut palm, a Crescent, and two criss-crossing National Flags with the A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Qaumee Salaam ( Dhivehi: ޤައުމީ ސަލާމް National Salute is the current National anthem of the Maldives. Maldives comprises some 1900 islands in the Indian Ocean. The earliest settlers were probably the Dravidian from the shores of southern India and Overview Although Malé is geographically located in Male' Atoll Kaafu Atoll, administratively it is not considered part of it An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Dhivehi Writing Systems Dhivehi (or Divehi) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by more than about 300000 people in the Republic of Maldives where it is the A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. The President of the Maldives is the head of state and Head of government and first citizen of Maldives and the supreme commander of the Maldivian armed Maumoon Abdul Gayoom ( Dhivehi: މައުމޫނު އަބްދުލް ގައްޔޫމް (born 29 December 1937 has been the President of the Republic of Maldives The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare sizes of different geographic regions we list here Areas between 10 km² (1000 Hectares and 100 km² (10000 hectares This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 569 billion (162nd)
-	Per capita	$7,675 (109th)
HDI (2007)		▲0. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 741 (medium) (100th)
Currency		Rufiyaa (MVR)
Time zone		(UTC+5)
Internet TLD		.mv
Calling code		+960

The Maldives (or Maldive Islands) (IPA: /ˈmɒldaɪvz/ or /ˈmɒldiːvz/), officially the Republic of Maldives, is an island nation consisting of a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The rufiyaa ( Dhivehi: ދިވެހި ރުފިޔާ is the currency of the Maldives. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E An island country is a Country that is wholly confined to an Island, several islands an Island group or several island groups and has no territory on This article discusses the geographical atolls of the Maldives The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface The Maldives is located south of India's Lakshadweep islands, and about seven hundred kilometres (435 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Lakshadweep ( (ലക്ഷദ്വീപ്,) the smallest Union territory of India, is a group of islands 200 to 300 km off of the coast of A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island The twenty-six atolls of Maldives' encompass a territory featuring 1,192 islets, two hundred and fifty islands are inhabited. An atoll (pronounced /ˈætʌl/ is an island of Coral that encircles a Lagoon partially or completely Types of administrative and/or political territories include Many types of legally administered territories, each of which is a non-sovereign geographic area For human anatomy see Islets of Langerhans An islet is a small Island.

The name "Maldives" may derive from Maale Dhivehi Raajje ("The Island Kingdom [under the authority of] Malé"). Overview Although Malé is geographically located in Male' Atoll Kaafu Atoll, administratively it is not considered part of it "^[1] Some scholars believe that the name "Maldives" derives from the Sanskrit maladvipa, meaning "garland of islands", or from mahila dvipa, meaning "island of women", but these names are not found in ancient Sanskrit literature. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Instead, classical Sanskrit texts mention the "Hundred Thousand Islands" (Lakshadweepa); a generic name which would include not only the Maldives, but also the Laccadives and the Chagos island groups. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Lakshadweepa means "one hundred thousand islands" in Sanskrit. Lakshadweep ( (ലക്ഷദ്വീപ്,) the smallest Union territory of India, is a group of islands 200 to 300 km off of the coast of The Chagos Archipelago (formerly Oil Islands) is a group of seven Atolls comprising more than 60 individual tropical Islands roughly in the centre of Some medieval Arab travellers such as Ibn Batuta called the islands "Mahal Dibiyat" from the Arabic word Mahal ("palace"). Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Al Lawati Al Tanji Ibn Battuta (أبو عبد الله محمد ابن عبد الله اللواتي الطنجي بن بطوطة (born February Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language " ^[2] This is the name presently inscribed in the scroll of the Maldive state emblem. The Maldivian National Emblem or Coat of Arms consists of a Coconut palm, a Crescent, and two criss-crossing National Flags with the

The inhabitants were Buddhist, probably since Ashoka's period, in the 3rd century BC. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi Islam was introduced in 1153. Islam is the state religion of Maldives, and adherence to it is legally required of citizens by a revision of the constitution in 2008 Article 9 Section D states that The Maldives came then under the influence of the Portuguese (1558) and the Dutch (1654) seaborne empires. The Portuguese Empire was the earliest and longest lived of the modern European colonial empires spanning almost six centuries from the capture of Ceuta See http//enwikipediaorg/wiki/WikipediaFootnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the tags and the template below And in 1887 it became a British protectorate. The Indies or East Indies (or East India) is a term often used to refer to the islands of SE Asia, especially the Malay Archipelago In 1965, the Maldives obtained independence from Britain (originally under the name "Maldive Islands"), and in 1968 the Sultanate was replaced by a Republic. Self-determination is defined as free choice of one’s own acts without external compulsion and especially as the freedom of the people of a given Territory to determine their The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its

The Maldives is the smallest Asian country in terms of population. It is also the smallest predominantly Muslim nation in the world. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion

History

Main article: History of the Maldives

Comparative studies of the Maldivian oral tradition suggest that the first settlers were Dravidian people from the nearest coasts, probably fishermen from the southwest coasts of the Indian Subcontinent and the western shores of Sri Lanka, like the group today known as the Giravaaru who claim ancestry from ancient Tamils. The Maldives is a nation consisting of 26 natural Atolls, comprising 1192 islands Historical setting Since very ancient times the Maldives were ruled Dravidian peoples refers to the peoples that natively speak languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island Giraavaru is one of the uninhabited islands of Malé Atoll (the administrative Kaafu Atoll) Tamil people (also called Tamils or Tamilians) ( are an Ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, a state in India, and the north-eastern It is unlikely that the Giraavaru islanders were the only early settlers in the Maldives. The importance they have been given is because they are mentioned in the legend about the establishment of the capital and kingly rule in Malé. The Giraavaru people were just one of the island communities predating Buddhism and the arrival of a Northern Kingly dynasty and the establishment of centralized political and administrative institutions.

Maldives is made up of a chain of 1190 small coral islands that are grouped into 26 atolls (80 islands resorts and 200 inhabited islands)

Buddhism came to the Maldives at the time of Emperor Ashoka's expansion and became the dominant religion of the people of the Maldives until the 12th century AD. Ashoka ( Devanāgarī: अशोकः IAST: Aśokaḥ, aɕoːkə(hə Prakrit Imperial title Devanampriya Priyadarsi

Western interest in the archaeological remains of early cultures on the Maldives began with the work of H.C.P. Bell, a British commissioner of the Ceylon Civil Service. Harry Charles Purvis Bell (1851-1937 was a British civil servant a commissioner in the Ceylon Civil Service. The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 The Ceylon Civil Service, popularly known by its acronym CCS, originated as the elite civil service of the Government of Ceylon under British colonial rule and on Bell was shipwrecked on the islands in 1879, and returned several times to investigate ancient Buddhist ruins. He studied the ancient mounds, called havitta or ustubu (these names are derived from chaitiya or stupa) (Mahl: ހަވިއްތަ) by the Maldivians, which are found on many of the atolls. A stupa (from Sanskrit and Pāli: m स्तूप stūpa, literally meaning "heap" is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist A stupa (from Sanskrit and Pāli: m स्तूप stūpa, literally meaning "heap" is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist Mahal (މަހަލް or Mahl, also known locally as Maliku Bas, is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the people of Minicoy Island ( Maliku

Although Bell asserted that the ancient Maldivians followed Theravada Buddhism, many local Buddhist archaeological remains now in the Malé Museum display in fact Mahayana and Vajrayana iconography. History Origin of the school The Theravāda school is ultimately derived from the Vibhajjavāda (or 'doctrine of analysis' grouping which was a continuation Overview Although Malé is geographically located in Male' Atoll Kaafu Atoll, administratively it is not considered part of it Mahayana ( Sanskrit: mahāyāna, Devanagari: महायान 'Great Vehicle' is one of the two main existing schools of Buddhism and a term for Vajrayana Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayana, Mantranaya, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and

According to a legend from the Maldivian Folklore, a prince named Koimala from India or Sri Lanka entered the Maldives from the North (Ihavandhu) and became the first king from the House of Theemuge. Maldive Mythology or Maldive Folklore is the body of myths tales and anecdotes belonging to the oral tradition of Maldivians. Koimala Siri Mahaabarana Mahaa Radun ( Dhivehi: ކޮއިމަލާ ސިރީ މަހާބަރަނަ މަހާ ރަދުން or Koimala ( Dhivehi: ކޮއިމަލާ House of Theemuge should not be consfused with the presidential palace Theemuge. The ancient Maldivian Kings promoted Buddhism and the first Maldive writings and artistic achievements in the form of highly developed sculpture and architecture are from that period. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The conversion to Islam is mentioned in the ancient edicts written in copper plates from the end of the 12th century AD. There is also a locally well-known legend about a foreign saint (a Persian from the city of Tabriz or a Moroccan Berber according to the versions) who subdued a demon known as Rannamaari. Tabriz ( تبریز, تبریز) is the largest city in northwestern Iran. Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. Rannamaari ( Dhivehi ރަންނަމާރި ranna from Sanskrit; ratna, "jewel" and Māri, the Dravidian

Over the centuries, the islands have been visited and their development influenced by sailors and traders from countries on the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. The Arabian Sea ( Arabic: بحر العرب transliterated: Baḥr al-'Arab Sanskrit: सिन्धु सागर transliterated: The Bay of Bengal is a bay that forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. Until relatively recent times, Mappila pirates from the Malabar Coast – present-day Kerala state in India – harassed the islands. The Mappilas (historically called Moplahs in Malayalam:മാപ്പിള refer to the Muslim community in Kerala and neighbouring Piracy is Robbery committed at sea or sometimes on shore without a commission from a sovereign Nation (as distinct from Privateering The Malabar Coast also known as the Malabarian Coast, is a long and narrow south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}};

Although governed as an independent Islamic sultanate from 1153 to 1968, the Maldives was a British protectorate from 1887 until July 25, 1965. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Sultan (سلطان is an Islamic title with several historical meanings Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. In 1953, there was a brief, abortive attempt to form a republic, but the sultanate was re-imposed. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its In 1959, objecting to Nasir's centralism, the inhabitants of the three southernmost atolls protested against the government. Ibrahim Nasir Rannabandeyri Kilegefan KCMG NGIV (born 1926 is a Maldivian statesman who served as his country's Prime Minister under Sultan Muhammad They formed the United Suvadive Republic and elected, Abdullah Afeef as president and Hithadhoo as capital of this republic. The United Suvadive Republic (Dhivehi އެކުވެރި ސުވައިދީބު ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ or Suvadive Islands was a short-lived breakaway nation in the remote Abdullah Afeef (1916 - 1993 was the President of the United Suvadive Republic from 1959 to 1963

After independence from Britain in 1965, the sultanate continued to operate for another three years under King Muhammad Fareed. On November 11, 1968, the monarchy was abolished and replaced by a republic, although this was a cosmetic change without any significant alteration in the structures of government. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The official name of the country was changed from Maldive Islands to the Maldives in a progressive manner. Tourism began to be developed on the archipelago about five years later, by the beginning of the 1970s. An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian

In November 1988, a group of Maldivians headed by Mr. Lutfee a small time businessman used Tamil mercenaries from Sri Lanka to stage a coup against President Gayyoom. Tamil people (also called Tamils or Tamilians) ( are an Ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, a state in India, and the north-eastern Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island After an appeal by the Maldivian government for help, the Indian military intervened against the mercenaries in order to reinstate Gayyoom in power. Organization and command structure The headquarters of the Indian Armed Forces is in New Delhi, the capital city. On the night of November 3, 1988, the Indian Air Force airlifted a parachute battalion group from Agra and flew them non-stop over 2,000 kilometres (1,240 mi) to the Maldives. Events 644 - Umar ibn al-Khattab, the second Muslim Caliph, is killed by a Persian slave in Medina. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) The Indian Air Force (Devanāgarī भारतीय वायु सेना IAST Bhartiya Vāyu Senā is the air arm of the Armed Forces of India and has the Agra ( pronounced) (आगरा آگرا is a city on the banks of the Yamuna River in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, The Indian paratroopers landed at Hulule and secured the airfield and restored the Government rule at Malé within hours. Paratroopers are Soldiers trained in Parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force. Hulhule (ހުޅުލެ located at Latitude 4° 10' 60 N Longitude 73° 31' 60 E is an island in the North Malé Atoll of the Maldives. The brief, bloodless operation, labelled Operation Cactus, also involved the Indian Navy. Operation Cactus In November 1988 the People's Liberation Front of Tamil Eelam ( PLOTE) comprising about 200 Tamil secessionists invaded Maldives The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India.

On 26 December 2004, the Maldives were devastated by a tsunami following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Events 1481 - Battle of Westbrook - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " In the Maldives, 82 people were killed and 26 reported missing and presumed dead after it was hit by a Tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on A tsunami ((tsuːˈnɑːmi is a series of waves created when The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea Earthquake that occurred at 005853 UTC on December 26 2004 with an Epicentre off the west coast of Only nine islands were reported to have escaped any flooding, while fifty-seven islands faced serious damage to critical infrastructure, fourteen islands had to be totally evacuated, and six islands were decimated. A further twenty-one resort islands were forced to shut down due to serious damage. The total damage was estimated at over 400 million dollars or some 62% of the GDP. A total of 108 people, including six foreigners, reportedly died in the tsunami. The destructive impact of the waves on the low-lying islands was mitigated by the fact there was no continental shelf or land mass upon which the waves could gain height. The tallest waves were reported 14 feet high.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Maldives

Typical Maldives market

Current GDP per capita of Maldives registered a peak growth of 26. 5% in the 1980s. Growth stabilised around 11. 5% in the 1990s.

In ancient times the Maldives were renowned for the cowries, coir rope, dried tuna fish (Maldive Fish), ambergris (Maavaharu) and coco de mer (Tavakkaashi). Cowry, also sometimes spelled cowrie, plural always cowries, is the Common name for a group of small to large sea Snails marine Coir (from Malayalam kayar, cord is a coarse fibre extracted from the fibrous outer shell of a Coconut. Ambergris ( Ambra grisea, Ambre gris, ambergrease, or grey Amber) is a solid waxy flammable substance of a dull gray or blackish " Sea coconut " redirects here Sea coconut may also refer to the fruit of the Asian palmyra palm The coco de mer ( Lodoicea maldivica Local and foreign trading ships used to load these products in the Maldives and transport them to other harbours in the Indian Ocean.

Today tourism and fisheries form the two key components of the Maldivian economy. The country's shipping, banking and manufacturing sectors are growing at a considerable pace. Among the South Asian nations, the Maldives has the highest per-capita GDP at 3,900 USD (2002 figure). The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been Major trading partners include India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Singapore ^[3]

Fisheries

A dhoni without lateen sails. A lateen (from a la trina, meaning triangular or latin-rig is a triangular Sail set on a long yard mounted at an angle on the mast

The Maldivian economy was entirely dependent on fishing and other marine products for many centuries. For the computer security term see Phishing. Fishing is the activity of catching Fish. An ocean (from Greek, ''Okeanos'' (Oceanus) is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the Hydrosphere. Fishing remains the main occupation of the people and the government gives special priority to the development of the fisheries sector.

The mechanization of the traditional fishing boat called dhoni in 1974 was a major milestone in the development of the fisheries industry and the country's economy in general. Mechanization or mechanisation ( BE) is providing human operators with machinery to assist them with the physical requirements of work Dhoni or Doni ( Dhivehi: ދޯނި pronounced Dōni) is a multi-purpose Sail boat with a motor or Lateen sails that is used in the A fish canning plant was installed in the island of Felivaru in 1977, as a joint venture with a Japanese firm. In 1979, a Fisheries Advisory Board was set up with the mandate of advising the government on policy guidelines for the overall development of the fisheries sector. Manpower development programs were begun in the early 1980s, and fisheries education was incorporated into the school curriculum. Fish aggregating devices and navigational aids were located at various strategic points. Moreover, the opening up of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Maldives for fisheries has further enhanced the growth of the fisheries sector. Under the law of the sea, an Exclusive Economic Zone ( EEZ) is a seazone over which a State has special rights over the exploration and use of marine Today, fisheries contribute over fifteen percent of the GDP and engage about thirty percent of the country's work force. It is also the second-largest foreign exchange earner after tourism.

Cottage industries

The development of the tourism sector gave a major boost to the country's fledging traditional cottage industries such as mat weaving, lacquer work, handicraft, and coir rope making. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel A mat is a generic term for a piece of fabric or flat material generally placed on a Floor or other flat surface and serving a range of purposes including This article describes textile weaving For other senses of this word see Weaving (disambiguation. In a general sense lacquer is a clear or coloured Varnish, that dries by solvent evaporation and often a curing process as well that produces a hard durable finish in any Handicraft, also known as craftwork or simply Craft, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or using only simple tools A rope is a length of Fibers twisted or Braided together to improve strength for pulling and Connecting. New industries that have since emerged include printing, production of PVC pipes, brick making, marine engine repairs, bottling of aerated water, and garment production. A pipe is a tube or hollow cylinder used to convey materials or as a structural component A brick is a block of Ceramic material used in Masonry construction laid using mortar. An engine is a mechanical device that produces some form of output from a given input Aerated water is correctly speaking Distilled water to which purified Air is added to improve its flavor Clothing (also called clothes, accoutrements, accouterments, or habiliments) protects the Human body from extreme Weather --202.1.192.1 (talk) 10:08, 16 May 2008 (UTC)

Politics

Main article: Politics of the Maldives

Presidential Office in Malé

Muleeaage (Former Presidental Palace in Malé)

Mosque in Hulhumalé

Politics in the Maldives takes place in the framework of a presidential republic, whereby the President is the head of government. The politics of the Maldives take place in the framework of a presidential Republic, whereby the President is the Head of government. History Reclamation of Hulhumalé began on October 16 1997 on the Hulhulé -Farukolhufushi lagoon 1 A presidential system is a System of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term separately from the Legislature A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State The President heads the executive branch and appoints the cabinet. A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. The President is nominated to a five-year term by a secret ballot of the Majlis (parliament), a nomination which is confirmed by national referendum. Majlis (also spelled Majalis or Mejlis, Arabic مجلس is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting" used to describe various types of formal

The unicameral Majlis of the Maldives is composed of fifty members serving five-year terms. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber The Majlis is the Main Legislature body of the Maldives The Majlis has the authority to enact amend and revise laws except the constitution of the Maldives Two members from each atoll are elected directly by universal suffrage. An atoll (pronounced /ˈætʌl/ is an island of Coral that encircles a Lagoon partially or completely Universal suffrage (also universal adult suffrage, general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of the right to vote to Eight are appointed by the president, which is the main route through which women enter parliament. The country introduced political parties for the first time in its history in July 2005, six months after the last elections for the parliament. Nearly thirty-six members of the existing parliament joined the Dhivehi Raiyyathunge Party (the Maldivian People's Party) and elected President Gayoom as its leader. Twelve members of parliament became the Opposition and joined the Maldivian Democratic Party. Two members remained independent. In March 2006, President Gayoom published a detailed Roadmap for the Reform Agenda, providing time-bound measures to write a new Constitution, and modernise the legal framework. Under the Roadmap, the government has submitted to the Parliament a raft of reform measures. The most significant piece of legislation passed so far is the Amendment to the Human Rights Commission Act, making the new body fully compliant with the Paris Principles. The Paris Principles were defined at the first International Workshop on National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Paris on 7 -

The fifty members of parliament sit with an equal number of similarly constituted persons and the Cabinet to form the Constitutional Assembly, which has been convened at the initiative of the President to write a modern liberal democratic constitution for the Maldives. The Assembly has been sitting since July 2004, and has been widely criticised for making very slow progress. The Government and the Opposition have been blaming each other for the delays, but independent observers attribute the slow progress to weak parliamentary traditions, poor whipping (none of the MPs were elected on a party ticket) and endless points of order interventions. Progress has also been slow due to the commitment of the main opposition party, MDP, to depose President Gayoom by direct action ahead of the implementation of the reform agenda, leading to civil unrest in July-August 2004, August 2005 and an abortive putsch in November 2006. Significantly, the leader of the MDP, Ibrahim Ismail (MP for the biggest constituency - Malé) resigned from his party post in April 2005 after having narrowly beat Dr. Mohammed Waheed Hassan only a couple months earlier. Dr Mohammed Waheed Hassan (born January 3, 1953) also known as Dr He eventually left MDP in November 2006 citing the intransigence of his own National Executive Committee. The government had engaged the services of a Commonwealth Special Envoy Tun Musa Hitam to facilitate all party dialogue, and when the MDP boycotted him, enlisted the services of the British High Commissioner to facilitate a dialogue. Tun Musa bin Hitam (born 18 April 1934) is a Malaysian politician and a former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, serving under The ensuing Westminster House process made some progress but was abandoned as MDP called for the November revolution.

The Roadmap provides the deadline of 31 May 2007 for the Assembly to conclude its work and to pave the way for the first multi-party elections in the country by October 2008. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. This deadline has not been achieved.

On 19 June 2006, the Assembly voted to hold a public referendum to decide the form of government under the new constitutional settlement. Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The resulting referendum has led to the public choosing a Presidential Republic.

Attorney General Dr Hassan Saeed, along with Justice Minister Mohamed Jameel Ahmed resigned from cabinet on 5 August 2007 accusing President Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom of deliberately obstructing reform process in the country which Dr Saeed engineered and spearheaded. Dr Hassan Saeed ( Dhivehi: ޑރ ޙަސަން ސަޢީދު was Attorney-general of the Maldives from 11 November 2003 to 5 August 2007 Dr Saaed is now running against Qayyoom for the Presidency and is seen as his main opponent.

The political structure of the Maldives has remained practically unchanged for centuries. Despite the passage from Monarchy to republic, the contemporary political structure shows a continuity with the feudal past in which power was shared among a few families at the top of the social structure. In some islands, the offices have remained within the same family for generations. The village is ruled by an administrative officer called Katību, who serves as the executive headman of the island. Above the Katībus of every atoll is the AtoỊuveriya (Atoll Chief). The power of these local chiefs is very limited and they take few responsibilities. They are trained to report to the government about the situation in their islands and to merely wait for instructions from the central power and to follow them thoroughly. ^[4]

Judiciary

Al Ustaz Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim from Fuvahmulah is the present chief justice of Maldives. Ustaz Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim, from the island of Fuvahmulah, is the present chief justice of Maldives. Fuvammulah or Fua Mulaku ( Dhivehi: ފުވައްމުލައް is a large single Island in the Maldives. The Evolution of the Judiciary in the Maldives spans hundreds even thousands of years All judges in the Maldives are appointed by the president. The President of the Maldives is the head of state and Head of government and first citizen of Maldives and the supreme commander of the Maldivian armed Islamic law is the basis of all judicial decisions. Sharia ( Arabic: ar شريعة) is the body of Islamic Religious law.

The Maldives have, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Project (UNDP), undertaken to write the world's first Muslim criminal code. This project would formalize the proceedings of criminal justice in this tiny nation to one of the most comprehensive modern criminal codes in the world. The code has been written and awaits action by the parliament.

Meanwhile, Islam remains the only official religion of The Maldives, with the open practice of all other religions being forbidden.

The Maldives and the Indian Ocean Commission

Satellite Image of the Maldives by NASA. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program Note that the southern most Atoll of the Maldives, Addu Atoll, is not visible on the image. Addu Atoll (local administrative code Seenu) is the southernmost Atoll of the Maldives.

Since 1996, the Maldives has been the official progress monitor of the Indian Ocean Commission. The Indian Ocean Commission ( COI) known as the Commission de l'Océan Indien in French, is an intergovernmental organization that joins Comoros Since 2002, the Maldives has expressed interest in the work of the Indian Ocean Commission but has not applied for membership. The interest of the Maldives relates to its identity as a small island state, especially in relation to matters of economic development and environmental preservation, and its desire to forge close relations with France, a main actor in the IOC region. The Maldives is a founder member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, SAARC, and as former protectorate of Great Britain, joined the Commonwealth in 1982, some 17 years after gaining independence from Great Britain. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ( SAARC) is an economic and political organization of eight countries in Southern Asia. The Maldives enjoys close ties with Seychelles and Mauritius, who like the Maldives are members of the Commonwealth. Seychelles (seɪˈʃɛl or /seɪˈʃɛlz/ in English and seʃɛl in French) officially the Republic of Seychelles (République des Seychelles Creole Mauritius (pronounced məˈrɪʃəs L’île Maurice /il mɔ'ʁis/ Mauritian Creole: Maurice) officially the Republic of Mauritius, République The Maldives and Comoros are also both members of the Organisation of Islamic Conference. The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC is an International organization with a permanent delegation to the United Nations. The Maldives has refused to enter into any negotiations with Mauritius over the demarcation of the maritime border between the Maldives and the British Indian Ocean Territory, pointing out that under international law, the sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago rests with the UK, with whom negotiations were started in 1991. The Chagos Archipelago (formerly Oil Islands) is a group of seven Atolls comprising more than 60 individual tropical Islands roughly in the centre of

Administrative divisions

Main article: Administrative Divisions of the Maldives

The Maldives has twenty-six natural atolls, which have been divided into twenty-one administrative divisions (twenty administrative atolls and Malé city). Geographically the Maldives are formed by a number of natural Atolls plus a few islands and isolated reefs which form a pattern from North to South This article discusses the geographical atolls of the Maldives Overview Although Malé is geographically located in Male' Atoll Kaafu Atoll, administratively it is not considered part of it ^[5]

In addition to a name, every administrative division is identified by the Maldivian code letters, such as "Haa Alif" for Thiladhunmati Uthuruburi (Thiladhunmathi North); and by a Latin code letter. Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll, Thiladhummathi North or Haa Alifu Atoll is the northernmost administrative division of the Maldives. Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll, Thiladhummathi North or Haa Alifu Atoll is the northernmost administrative division of the Maldives.

The first corresponds to the geographical Maldivian name of the atoll. The second is a code adopted for convenience. It began in order to facilitate radio communication between the atolls and the central administration. As there are certain islands in different atolls that have the same name, for administrative purposes this code is quoted before the name of the island, for example: Baa Funadhoo, Kaafu Funadhoo, Gaafu-Alifu Funadhoo. Since most Atolls have very long geographical names it is also used whenever the name of the atoll has to be quoted short, for example in the atoll website names. ^[6]

This code denomination has been very much abused by foreigners who didn't understand the proper use of these names and have ignored the Maldivian true names in publications for tourists. ^[7] Maldivians may use the letter code name in colloquial conversation, but in serious geographic, historical or cultural writings, the true geographical name always takes precedence. The Latin code letter is normally used in boat registration plates. The letter stands for the atoll and the number for the island.

Each atoll is administered by an Atoll Chief (Atholhu Veriyaa) appointed by the President. The Ministry of Atoll Administration and its Northern and Southern Regional Offices, Atoll Offices and Island Offices are collectively responsible to the President for Atolls Administration. The administrative head of each island is the Island Chief (Katheeb), appointed by the President. A traditional tribal chief is the leader of a Tribe, or the head of a tribal form of self-government The Island Chief's immediate superior is the Atoll Chief.

The introduction of code-letter names has been a source of much puzzlement and misunderstandings, especially among foreigners. Many people have come to think that the code-letter of the administrative atoll is its new name and that it has replaced its geographical name. Under such circumstances it is hard to know which is the correct name to use. ^[8]

Geography

Main article: Geography of the Maldives

See also: Atolls of the Maldives

Maldive reefs

The Maldives holds the record for being the flattest country in the world, with a maximum natural ground level of only 2. See also Atolls of the Maldives for an in-depth description of the atolls. This article discusses the geographical atolls of the Maldives 3 m (7½ ft), though in areas where construction exists this has been increased to several metres. Over the last century, sea levels have risen about 20 centimetres (8 in); further rises of the ocean could threaten the existence of Maldives. Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface

The first accurate maritime charts of this complex Indian Ocean atoll group were the British Admiralty Charts. In 1834-36 Capt. Robert Moresby, assisted by Lieutenants Christopher and Young, undertook the difficult cartography of the Maldive Islands. Robert Moresby was a distinguished captain of the British Royal Navy The resulting charts were printed as three separate large maps by the Hydrographic Service of the Royal Navy.

A tsunami in the Indian Ocean caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake caused parts of the Maldives to be covered by sea water and left many people homeless. A tsunami ((tsuːˈnɑːmi is a series of waves created when The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea Earthquake that occurred at 005853 UTC on December 26 2004 with an Epicentre off the west coast of After the disaster, cartographers are planning to redraw the maps of the islands due to alterations caused by the tsunami.

On April 22, 2008, Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom pleaded for a cut in global greenhouse gas emissions, warning that rising sea levels could submerge the island nation of Maldives. ^[9]

This reef is composed of coral debris and living coral. This acts as a natural barrier against the sea forming lagoons. Other Islands, set at a distance and parallel to this reef, have their own protective fringe of reef. An opening in the surrounding coral barrier allows access to the calmer lagoon waters.

The barrier reefs of the Islands protect them from the storms and high waves of the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean has a great affect on the climate of the country by acting as a heat buffer, absorbing, storing and slowly releasing the tropical heat. The heat is further mitigated by cool sea breezes.

A layer of humus six inches deep forms the top layers of the soil on the islands. Below, is two feet of sandstone, followed by sand and then fresh water. Due to excessive salt in the soil down the beach, vegetation is limited to a few plants such as shrubs, flowering plants and small hedges. In the interior of the island, more vegetation such as (mangrove and banyan, etc. Mangroves (generally are Trees and Shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the Tropics and Subtropics. A banyan is a fig that starts its life as an Epiphyte when its Seeds germinate in the cracks and crevices on a host Tree (or on structures like ) grow. Coconut palms, the national tree, are able to grow almost everywhere on the Islands and are a major contributing factor to the lifestyle of the natives.

The limited vegetation is supplemented by the abundance of coral reefs and marine life.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of the Maldives

Malé, the capital of the Maldives. Maldives comprises some 1900 islands in the Indian Ocean. The earliest settlers were probably the Dravidian from the shores of southern India and Overview Although Malé is geographically located in Male' Atoll Kaafu Atoll, administratively it is not considered part of it

The Maldivian ethnic identity is a blend of the cultures reflecting the peoples who settled on the islands, reinforced by religion and language. The earliest settlers were probably from southern India and Sri Lanka.

Some social stratification exists on the islands. It is not rigid, since rank is based on varied factors, including occupation, wealth, Islamic virtue, and family ties. Traditionally, instead of a complex caste system, like the Vedic one, there was merely a distinction between noble (bēfulhu) and common people in the Maldives. Members of the social elite are concentrated in Malé. Outside of the service industry, this is the only location where the foreign and domestic populations are likely to interact. The tourist resorts are not on islands where the natives live, and casual contacts between the two groups are discouraged.

A census has been recorded since 1905, which shows that the population of the country remained around 100,000 for the first seventy years of the last century. Following independence in 1965, the health status of the population improved so much that the population doubled by 1978, and the population growth rate peaked at 3. 4% in 1985. By 2005, the population had reached 300,000, although the census in 2000 showed that the population growth rate had declined to 1. 9%. Life expectancy at birth stood at 46 years in 1978, while it has now risen to 72 years. Infant mortality has declined from 127 per thousand in 1977 to 12 today, and adult literacy stands at 99%. Combined school enrollment stands in the high 90s.

As of April 2008, more than 70,000 foreign employees live in the country. They consist mainly of people from the neighbouring South Asian countries of India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially Nepal (नेपाल) is a Landlocked country in South Asia.

Language and culture

Main article: Culture of the Maldives

See also: Dhivehi language, Dhivehi Writing Systems, Islam in the Maldives, Hinduism in Maldives, Music of the Maldives, and Maldivian Folklore

The Islamic Centre, housing the mosque Masjid-al-Sultan Mohammed Thakurufaanu-al-A'z'am. Maldivian culture is derived from a number of sources the most important of which are its proximity to the shores of Sri Lanka and South India. Dhivehi Writing Systems Dhivehi (or Divehi) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by more than about 300000 people in the Republic of Maldives where it is the The Dhivehi or Divehi Writing systems are the different scripts used by Maldivians during their history. Islam is the state religion of Maldives, and adherence to it is legally required of citizens by a revision of the constitution in 2008 Article 9 Section D states that Hindu traditions in ancient Maldives Before conversion the religion of Maldives was Vajrayana Buddhism which was heavily influenced by Hinduism. The Maldives are an island nation in the Indian Ocean, and its Culture is marked mainly by Indian East African and Arab influences Maldive Mythology or Maldive Folklore is the body of myths tales and anecdotes belonging to the oral tradition of Maldivians. The Islamic Centre is an architectural landmark in Malé, Maldives opened in November 1984 by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al-Azam (death August 26, 1585) also known as Al-Sultan Ghazi Muhammad Bodu Thakurufaanu ruled over the Maldive Islands (

Maldivian culture is derived from a number of sources, the most important of which are its proximity to the shores of Sri Lanka and southern India. The Maldives ( or, or Maldive Islands) officially the Republic of Maldives, is an Island nation consisting of a group of atolls stretching South India is the area encompassing India 's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union Thus the population is mainly Dravidian from the anthropological point of view.

The official and common language is Dhivehi, an Indo-European language having some similarities with Elu, the ancient Sinhalese language. Dhivehi Writing Systems Dhivehi (or Divehi) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by more than about 300000 people in the Republic of Maldives where it is the The first known script use to write Dhivehi is Eveyla akuru script which is found in historical recording of kings (raadhavalhi). Later a script called Dhives akuru was introduced and used for a long period. See also Dhivehi Writing Systems Dhivehi language|History of the Maldives Divehi Akuru or Dhives Akuru (island letters is a script formerly used to write the The present-day written script is called Thaana and is written from right to left. See also Dhivehi writing systems Thaana, Taana or Tāna (written in Tāna script is the modern writing system of the Thaana is said to be introduced by the reign of Mohamed Thakurufaanu. English is used widely in commerce and increasingly as the medium of instruction in government schools. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Commerce is a division of trade or production which deals with the exchange of goods and services from producer to final consumer

The language is of Indo-Iranian Sanskritic origin, which points at a later influence from the north of the subcontinent. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical According to the legends, the kingly dynasty that ruled the country in the past has its origin there.

Possibly these ancient kings brought Buddhism from the subcontinent, but the Maldivian legends don't make it clear. In Sri Lanka there are similar legends, however it is improbable that the ancient Maldive royals and Buddhism came both from that island because none of the Sri Lankan chronicles mentions the Maldives. It is unlikely that the ancient chronicles of Sri Lanka would have failed to mention the Maldives if a branch of its kingdom would have extended itself to the Maldive Islands. ^[10]

After the long Buddhist ^[11] period of Maldivian history, Muslim traders introduced Sunni Islam. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Maldivians converted to it by the mid-12th century. Islam is the official religion of the entire population, as adherence to it is required for citizenship. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos

Since the 12th century AD there are also influences from Arabia in the language and culture of the Maldives because of the general conversion to Islam in the 12th century, and its location as a crossroads in the central Indian Ocean. The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية šibh al-jazīra al-ʻarabīya or جزيرة العرب jazīrat al-ʻarab) For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation.

In the island culture there are a few elements of African origin as well from slaves brought to the court by the royal family and nobles from their hajj journeys to Arabia in the past. The Hajj (حج is a pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world There are islands like Feridhu and Maalhos in Northern Ari Atoll, and Goidhu in Southern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll where many of the inhabitants trace their ancestry to released African slaves. Northern Ari Atoll or Alifu Alifu Atoll is an administrative division of the Maldives. Southern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll, Maalhosmadulhu South or Baa Atoll is an administrative division of the Maldives. ^[12]

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in the Maldives

Taj Exotica Resort & Spa in Maldives. Tourism is the largest Economic Industry in the Maldives, as it plays an important role in earning foreign exchange revenues and generating Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is a worldwide chain of luxury hotels and resorts

The development of tourism has fostered the overall growth of the country's economy. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel It has created direct and indirect employment and income generation opportunities in other related industries. Today, tourism is the country's biggest foreign exchange earner, contributing to twenty percent of the GDP. There are eighty-seven tourist resorts in operation. The year 2006 recorded 467,154 tourist arrivals. The first tourist resorts were opened in 1972 with Bandos island resort and Kurumba Village.

See also

References

• Divehiraajjege Jōgrafīge Vanavaru. Muhammadu Ibrahim Lutfee. G. Sōsanī. Malé 1999.
• H. C. P. Bell, The Maldive Islands, An account of the Physical Features, History, Inhabitants, Productions and Trade. Harry Charles Purvis Bell (1851-1937 was a British civil servant a commissioner in the Ceylon Civil Service. Colombo 1883, ISBN 81 206 1222 1
• H. C. P. Bell, The Maldive Islands; Monograph on the History, Archaeology and Epigraphy. Reprint Colombo 1940. Council for Linguistic and Historical Research. Male’ 1989
• H. C. P. Bell, Excerpta Maldiviana. Reprint Colombo 1922/35 edn. Asian Educational Services. New Delhi 1999
• Xavier Romero-Frias, The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom. Barcelona 1999, ISBN 84 7254 801 5
• Divehi Tārīkhah Au Alikameh. Divehi Bahāi Tārikhah Khidmaiykurā Qaumī Markazu. Reprint 1958 edn. Malé 1990.
• Christopher, William 1836-38. Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, Vol. I. Bombay.
• Lieut. I. A. Young & W. Christopher, Memoirs on the Inhabitants of the Maldive Islands.
• Geiger, Wilhelm. Wilhelm Ludwig Geiger (1856-1943 was a German Orientalist in the fields of Indian and Iranian languages Maldivian Linguistic Studies. Reprint 1919 edn. Asian Educational Services. Delhi 1999.
• Hockly, T. W. The Two Thousand Isles. Reprint 1835 edn. Asian Educational Services. Delhi 2003.
• Hideyuki Takahashi, Maldivian National Security –And the Threats of Mercenaries, The Round Table(London), No. 351, July 1999, pp. 433-444.

External links

• Maldives official website
• The President's Office - Republic of Maldives

• (Dhivehi) / (English) Information Ministry
• Google Maps satellite image of the Maldives
• WikiMapia.org annotated map of the Maldives
• Anthropologic, Ethnographic and Ethnologic information about the Maldives
• Severe climate issues causing country to evacuate.