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Introduction

The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is a country and archipelagic state in South Asia in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about 750 kilometres (470 miles; 400 nautical miles) from the Asian continent's mainland. The Maldives' chain of 26 atolls stretches across the equator from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to Addu Atoll in the south.

Malé is the capital and the most populated city, traditionally called the "King's Island", where the ancient royal dynasties ruled from its central location. The Maldivian Archipelago is located on the Chagos–Laccadive Ridge, a vast submarine mountain range in the Indian Ocean; this also forms a terrestrial ecoregion with the Chagos Archipelago and Lakshadweep. The Maldives has an average ground-level elevation of 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) above sea level, and a highest natural point of only 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in), making it the world's lowest-lying country. Some sources state the highest point, Mount Villingili, as 5.1 metres or 17 feet.

The Maldives has been inhabited for over 2,500 years. Documented contact with the outside world began around 947 AD when Arab travelers began visiting the islands. In the 12th century, partly due to the importance of the Arabs and Persians as traders in the Indian Ocean, Islam reached the Maldivian Archipelago. The Maldives was soon consolidated as a sultanate, developing strong commercial and cultural ties with Asia and Africa. From the mid-16th century, the region came under the increasing influence of European colonial powers, with the Maldives becoming a British protectorate in 1887. Independence from the United Kingdom came in 1965, and a presidential republic was established in 1968 with an elected People's Majlis. The ensuing decades have seen political instability, efforts at democratic reform, and environmental challenges posed by climate change and rising sea levels. The Maldives became a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). (Full article...)

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Selected articles - show another

Nasir in 1978

Ibrahim Nasir Rannabandeyri Kilegefan (Arabic: إبراهيم ناصر; Dhivehi: އިބްރާހިމް ނާޞިރު ރަންނަބަނޑޭރި ކިލޭގެފާނު; 2 September 1926 – 22 November 2008), KCMG, NGIV commonly known as Ibrahim Nasir, was a Maldivian politician who adhered to the non-aligned ideology and was a staunch anti-imperialist. Nasir served as the Prime Minister of the Maldives from 1957 to 1968 under the monarchy, and later the first President of the Second Republic of Maldives from 1968 to 1978. Nasir served two terms (one term consisting of 5 years), then he decided to retire, even though the People's Majlis voted him in for a third term. Nasir is remembered as an independence hero for guiding the Maldives to independence from the British Empire, he is also credited for establishing the tourism industry in the Maldives, as well as rapidly modernizing and developing the country and economy. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from Maldives-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Isdhoo Lōmāfānu is the oldest copper-plate book to have been discovered in the Maldives to date. The book was written in AD 1194 (590 AH) in the Evēla form of the Divehi akuru, during the reign of Siri Fennaadheettha Mahaa Radun (Dhinei Kalaminja). (from History of the Maldives)
Image 2Maahefun Festival in Fuvahmulah (from Maldives)
Image 3The tsunami that struck Malé on 26 December 2004. Photo taken by Sofwathulla Mohamed while standing on his doorstep. His apartment was entirely washed out damaging all his belongings. (from History of the Maldives)
Image 417th-century Portuguese drawing of the fortress of Maldives and the archipelago. In Antonio Bocarro book of fortress (1632) (from Maldives)
Image 5Filitheyo island beach with tall palm trees and blue fresh lagoons (from Maldives)
Image 6President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih congratulates Mohamed Nasheed Speaker of the People's Majlis in May 2019 (from Maldives)
Image 7Maldives against Bangladesh at the 2021 SAFF Championship. (from Maldives)
Image 8The wreck of the Corbin, 1865 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 9TMA Terminal (from Maldives)
Image 10Velana International Airport (from Maldives)
Image 11Protesters in Malé in August 2004 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 12Thaana script (from Maldives)
Image 13Maldivian soldiers at a presidential address in February 2024 (from Maldives)
Image 14A plaque in Hukuru Mosque, Malé, Maldives, placed by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar on which Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari's name is written. His last name is also read as "at-Tabrizi" instead of "al-Barbari". (from History of the Maldives)
Image 15A demonstration (Muzhaahira) in Fua Mulaku in support of the government, 1981. (from History of the Maldives)
Image 16Maldives soft coral (from Maldives)
Image 17A baby sleeping on a swingbed. The duty of the older siblings is to keep it swinging. 1980 (from Culture of the Maldives)
Image 18Life expectancy in the Maldives (from Maldives)
Image 19An RAF Short Sunderland moored in the lagoon at Addu Atoll, during WWII (from Maldives)
Image 20Oriental sweetlips (Plectorhinchus vittatus) at Meeru Island, North Male Atoll (from Maldives)
Image 21Mohammed Waheed Hassan (from History of the Maldives)
Image 221742 drawing of shells of the money cowry, Cypraea moneta (from History of the Maldives)
Image 23Butorides striata in the Maldives (from Maldives)
Image 24Flag of the Sultan of the Maldives (from Maldives)
Image 25Malé Friday Mosque Minaret, 1981 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 26A mechanised traditional inter-island dhoni stripped of its sails (from Maldives)
Image 27Maalhosmadulu Atoll seen from space. Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll and Southern Maalhosmadulu Atoll can be seen in this picture. (from Maldives)
Image 28Dark clouds bringing heavy rain, common in the rainy season (from Maldives)
Image 29Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, President of the Maldives (1978–2008). (from History of the Maldives)
Image 30Each administrative atoll is marked, along with the thaana letter used to identify the atoll. Natural atolls are labelled in light blue. (from Maldives)
Image 31Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir signs independence agreement with the British on July 26, 1965. (from Maldives)
Image 32Masroshi. Maldivian savory snacks (from Culture of the Maldives)
Image 33Portuguese presence in the Maldives was established in 1558, by order of Constantino of Braganza, Viceroy of Portuguese India. (from Maldives)
Image 34A beach of Bathala island (from Maldives)
Image 35Isdhoo Lōmāfānu is the oldest copper-plate book to have been discovered in the Maldives to date. The book was written in 1194 CE (590 AH) in the Evēla form of the Divehi akuru, during the reign of Siri Fennaadheettha Mahaa Radun (Dhinei Kalaminja). (from Maldives)
Image 361753 Van Keulen Map of Ari Atoll (from History of the Maldives)
Image 3716th-century Portuguese illustration from the Códice Casanatense, depicting workers (from Maldives)
Image 381598 Bertius map of the Maldives, issued in Middelburg, Netherlands. (from History of the Maldives)
Image 39Malé, the capital of the Maldives (from Maldives)
Image 40MNDF Marine Corps soldiers during a training exercise (from Maldives)
Image 41Detail of the 1662 Tabula Indiae orientalis by Frederik de Wit (from History of the Maldives)
Image 42Building set on fire in Malé during the September 2003 protests (from History of the Maldives)
Image 43Judaage Aminat Didi in 1982, wearing the simple customary libaas worn by all southern Maldivian women before the modern islamification promoted by President Maumoon. First "burugaa" headscarf reached Fuvahmulah only in 1989. (from Culture of the Maldives)
Image 44Malé harbour (from Maldives)
Image 451753 Van Keulen Map of Huvadu Atoll (inaccurate) (from History of the Maldives)
Image 46Yameen in 2014 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 47Flyboarding in Maldives (from Maldives)
Image 48A selection of traditional Maldivian oarblade patterns (from Culture of the Maldives)
Image 49Woman rocking a traditional Maldivian swingbed (un'dholi) holding a baby in local fashion. (from Culture of the Maldives)
Image 5018th-century map by Pierre Mortier of the Netherlands depicting with detail the islands of the Maldives. (from History of the Maldives)
Image 51Protesters in Malé in August 2005 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 521920 British map of the Maldives (from History of the Maldives)
Image 53A boy sandboarding in Fuvahmulah, Maldives (from Culture of the Maldives)
Image 54Muizzu in January 2024 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 55The resort island of Landaa Giraavaru (Baa atoll) (from Maldives)
Image 56Sign outside the Velana International Airport (from Maldives)
Image 5717th SAARC summit in Addu City, Maldives (from Maldives)
Image 58Kashimaage Hakimatu, daughter of an excellent master carpenter boatbuilder, 1983. Fuvahmulah Island (from Culture of the Maldives)
Image 59Gage Naima dancing while she was a girl at the Royal Court in Male. Based on a picture taken around 1960. (from Culture of the Maldives)
Image 60Copy of a magical drawing. Diguvando. Fuvahmulah. (from Culture of the Maldives)
Image 61Solih in November 2023 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 6218th-century map by Pierre Mortier from the Netherlands, depicting with detail the islands of the Maldives (from Maldives)

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Selected biography

Aishath Lahfa (born 21 November 1997) is a Maldivian film actress. Before pursuing a career in acting, Lahfa was an active TikTok user, which won her recognition as a performer. She made her acting debut in the web series Girlfriends (2021) and continued playing main roles in several other web series including four-part anthology crime web series Mazloom (2021–2022), family romantic dramas Rimsha (2022) and Yasna (2022). In 2023, she made her first appearance in a feature film with the horror film Kalhaki. (Full article...)

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This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

The Asian island nation of the Maldives competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's seventh consecutive appearance at the Olympics, the delegation consisted of two athletes each in track and field (Azneem Ahmed and Afa Ismail) and swimming (Ahmed Husam and Aminath Shajan). For the first time since their debut at the Summer Olympics, the Maldives entered one badminton player into the Olympics. Mohamed Ajfan Rasheed, the inaugural Maldivian badminton player to compete at the Olympics, was the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony with Azneem Ahmed carrying the Maldivian flag in the closing ceremony. All the athletes qualified for the games through wild cards from International Association of Athletic Federations FINA and Badminton World Federation. The Maldives however, has yet to win its first ever Olympic medal. (Full article...)

More Good articles...
Malé Friday Mosque Maldives at the 2020 Summer Olympics Maldives at the 2016 Summer Olympics Maldives at the 2004 Summer Olympics Maldives at the 2000 Summer Olympics Maldives at the 1996 Summer Olympics Maldives at the 1992 Summer Olympics Maldives at the 1988 Summer Olympics

Did you know - load new batch

... that Ithaa iin Maldives is the world's first and only underwater restaurant?
... that Fathimath Dheema Ali is the first Olympic qualifier from the Maldives?
... that the minaret adjoining the Malé Friday Mosque has a wide base like a ship's funnel and resembles a wedding cake?
... that after being shipwrecked on Malé Atoll in 1973, Tony Hussein Hinde pioneered surfing in the Maldives, which was previously unknown in the country?
... that Indo-Maldivian relations grew stronger after India responded to Maldives' request for help and thwarted a militant plot to overthrow the government in 1988?

Selected Island - show another

Hulhumeedhoo (Dhivehi: ހުޅުމީދޫ) or Hulhudhoo-Meedhoo is an island located on the northeastern end of Addu City. It is the fifth largest island in the Maldives. Although Hulhumeedhoo is geographically one island, it is divided into two administrative constituencies of Addu City; Meedhoo and Hulhudhoo, which are roughly the northern half and southern half of the island respectively. The name Hulhumeedhoo is an amalgamation of Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo. (Full article...)

List of selected islands
Malé Hulhumalé Fuvahmulah Hulhulé Island Maafushi (Kaafu Atoll) Hanimaadhoo (Haa Dhaalu Atoll) Gan (Addu Atoll) Funadhoo (Shaviyani Atoll) Milandhoo Gaafaru Gulhi Huraa (Kaafu Atoll) Vilimalé Thulusdhoo Hithadhoo (Addu)