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| Home :: Maldives Information :: About Maldives |
About Maldives |
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| Maldives An Introduction |
 Independent since 1965, and a republic since 1968, the Maldives is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth and the Non-Aligned Movement. It maintains a very cordial relationship with the international community. Under the leadership of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the country is a champion of global peace and preservation of the environment.
The Population of the country currently stands at about 300,000. A common language (Dhivehi) and religion (Islam) unite the people into a cohesive, peaceful society. The country has been inhabited for at least 25 centuries.
The Maldives comprises about 1190 islands grouped into atolls protected by surrounding coral reefs. Coconut palms and various tropical plants grow in abundance on most islands.
 The Maldives straddles the equator and has a tropical climate. The southwest monsoon brings most of the rain, mostly around June and July. Normally, the skies are clear during the north east monsoon.
As of the early 1970's tourism has burgeoned in the Maldives. Surfers, drivers, beach buffs, game fisherman and the sea lovers find the maldives ideal.
The Maldives has increasingly become extremely accessible, especially by air. Scheduled and charter flights operate on a regular basis from points of origin in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Visitors are issued thirty-day tourist visa on arrival. Apart from normal Customs and Port Health formalities, nothing stands in the way of the inbound guest and tropical holiday. |
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| Location : |
Indian Ocean, about 500 Km from Sri Lanka and India. |
| Political Status : |
Independent Republic. |
| Population : |
285,006 (2003) |
| Religion : |
Islam |
| Geography : |
Coral islands grouped into atolls with fringing reefs. |
| Climate : |
Tropical, Aveage temp. 30 deg. C |
| Access : |
Scheduled and charter flights from Europe, Middle East and Asia. |
| Visa : |
30-day tourist visa on arrival |
| Customs : |
No illicit drugs, pornography, firearms, alchol, dangerous
animals. |
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| History, Religion of Maldives |
 The Maldives has been inhabited for at least 2500 years. Visited and enriched over the centuries by contact with sailors from all over, the country has evolved its unique culture.
Before the Maldives converted to Islam in 1153 AD, Buddhism was the prevalent religion. Ruins of stupas and other temples still exits to attest to this.
The Maldives has always been a very peaceful place apart from a few skirmishes with forign invaders. The Portuguese, for example, occupied the nation for about 17 years in the 17th Century.
From 1887 to 1965, the Maldives was a British Protectorate. Since then, the Maldives has been a sovereign state.
 Since conversion to Islam, the Maldives remained a Sultanate till the proclamation of the First Republic in 1953. It failed. The Sutanate returned till the Second republic was proclaimed in 1968. this time, it lasted.
Maldivian Culture is a unique and practical phenomenon born of the fisherfolk, the adventurer on the high seas, and the always-welcome guest. Binding this whole is our unique Sanskrit-driven language (called Dhivehi) and the Islamic faith. |
| IMPORTANT DATES : |
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| Conversion to Islam (from Buddhism) : |
1153 AD |
| Portuguese occupy the country : |
1643 AD |
| Mohamed Thakurufaan of Utheem liberates the country : |
1658 AD |
| Maldives becomes a British Protectorate : |
1887 AD |
| The First Republic : |
1953 |
| Independance : |
July 26, 1965 |
| The Second Republic : |
November 11, 1968 |
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| RELIGION : |
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| Religion : |
Islam (Sunni) |
| Status : |
Every Maldivian is a Muslim |
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