Maldives
The Last Paradise
No larger on the map than a few ink splashes by a busy cartographer, the Maldive Islands stretch from the south-western tip of India all the way to the Equator.
One of the most attenuated countries in the world, the 1,196 Maldive Islands, in 26 distinct coral atolls, are spread over a total area of 90,000 [...]
Footprints in the Sand
History of Maldives»
The origins of the people of the Maldives are lost in history. Archaeological finds indicate that the islands were inhabited as early as 1500 BC, and there are tales of a legendary people called the Redin who may have been among the earliest of explorers. Attempts to investigate the origins of human settlement in the [...]
View from the top
Geography of the Maldives»Where are the Maldive Islands? The group of 1,200 islands (give or take a few) lies in the Indian Ocean, between just south of the equator and 8 degrees north, about 675 km south-west of Sri Lanka. About 200 islands are inhabited. The total area including land and sea is about 90,000 square km. The [...]
The driving force
Economy of the Maldives»The economy used to be based on three principal activities: fishing, tourism and shipping. Poor soil and lack of cultivable land limit agriculture.
Traditional industries consist of local boat (dhoni) building, handicrafts such as mat-weaving, jewellery-making and lacquer work.
Export-oriented industries include tuna fish canning and manufacture of garments. However, a severe shortage [...]