Maldives flag
Basic facts of MaldivesOfficial name: Republic of Maldives
Capital: Male
Area: 298 sq km, 115 sq mi
Population: 379,174 (2008 estimate)
Population density: 1,264 persons per sq km, 3,273 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 30 percent (2005 estimate)
Share rural 70 percent (2005 estimate)
Languages: Divehi (official; dialect of Sinhala), English
Religious affiliations:
Muslim (Islam is the official religion) 99 percent
Other (including Buddhist and Hindus) 1 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 65.1 years (2008 estimate)
Female 66.6 years (2008 estimate)
Male 63.7 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate:
Total 97.5 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 97.6 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 97.3 percent (2005 estimate)
Form of government: Republic
Introduction:
Maldives (formerly Maldive Islands), island republic in southern Asia, located in the northern Indian Ocean, southwest of the southern tip of India. Maldives is made up of a chain of 1,190 small coral islands that are grouped into clusters of atolls. It has a total area of 298 sq km (115 sq mi). The capital and largest city of Maldives is Male (population, 2003, 83,000).
A Island of Maldives
The republic of Maldives is made up of nearly 2,000 small islands in the northern Indian Ocean. The economy is dominated by fishing, which accounts for a major portion of the export trade. Shown here is a dock on Ihuru Island.
Male, Capital of Maldives
The capital of Maldives, Male serves as the island nation’s administrative and economic center. Male covers Male Atoll, located in the Indian Ocean southwest of India and Sri Lanka.