Maldives
The Maldives, officially the Republic of the Maldives (Maldive: statutory: statistic, Dhivehi Raajje Jumhooriyyaa), is a sovereign island country located in the Indian Ocean, whose form of government is the presidential republic. Its territory is organized into 26 atolls. The capital and, at the same time, the most populous city is Malé, with a population of 103,693 inhabitants.
The country is made up of some 1,200 islands, of which 203 are inhabited. The territory is located in the middle of the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka and 450 km from India and is considered a Micro-state as it has an area of 298 square kilometers.
It has a tropical and humid climate with an approximate rainfall of 2000 mm per year. Islam, which was introduced in 1153, is the predominant and official religion. It was a Portuguese (1558), Dutch (1654) and British (1887) colony. In 1953 he tried to establish a republic but a few months later the sultanate was reinstated. It obtained independence in 1965 and in 1968 the republic was reinstated. It is the least populated country in Asia and the least populated among Muslim-majority countries.
It is one of the smallest Asian countries both in terms of population and size. With an average of 1.5 m s. no. m., is also the lowest country in the world. With the new government in office since 2018, the country took a turn in its foreign policy by giving its support to the West, more precisely to Saudi Arabia by breaking relations with Iran and rejoining the British Commonwealth of Nations in 2020 from which it had withdrawn. in 2016. It is also the one with the lowest maximum altitude in the world, at 2.3 m, a feature that makes it particularly vulnerable to sea level rise.
Etymology
According to legend, the first settlers of the Maldives were people known as Dheyvis. The first kingdom of the Maldives was known as Dheeva Maari. During the visit of emissaries of the III century a. C., the Maldives were noted to be known as Dheeva Mahal.
Between 1100 and 1166, the scholar and polymath al-Biruni (973-1048) called the Maldives Diva Kudha and the Laccadive archipelago, which was part of the Maldives, Diva Kanbar.
The name Maldives may also derive from Sanskrit माला mālā (garland) and द्वीप dvīpa (island), or මාල දිවයින Maala Divaina ("Necklace Islands") in Sinhala. The Maldivian people are called Maala Divaina ("Necklace Islands") Dhivehin. The word Dheeb/Deeb (archaic Dhivehi, related to Sanskrit द्वीप, dvīpa) means "island", and Dhives (Dhivehin) means "islanders" (i.e. Maldivians). In Tamil, "Garland of Islands" can be translated as Maalai Theevu (மாலைத்தீவு).
The ancient Sri Lankan chronicle Mahawamsa refers to an island called Mahiladiva ("Island of Women", महिलादिभ) in Pali, which is probably a mistranslation of the same Sanskrit word meaning &# 34;garland".
Jan Hogendorn, Grossman Professor of Economics at Colby College, theorized that the name Maldives derives from the Sanskrit mālādvīpa (मालाद्वीप), meaning "garland of islands". In Malayalam, "Garland of islands" can be translated as Maladweepu (മാലദ്വീപ്)
In Kannada, "Garland of islands" can be translated as Maaledweepa (ಮಾಲೆದ್ವೀಪ). [None of these denominations are mentioned in the literature, but classical Sanskrit texts dating back to the Vedic period mention the "Hundred Thousand Islands" (Lakshadweepa), a generic name that would include not only the Maldives, but also the Laccadives, the Aminidivi, Minicoy and Chagos island groups.
Medieval Arab travelers such as Ibn Battuta named the islands Maḥal Dībīyāt (محل ديبية) from the Arabic word maḥal ("palace"), which must be the way the Berber traveler interpreted the local name, having passed through Muslim north India, where Perso-Arabic words were introduced into the local vocabulary. [This is the name currently inscribed on the scroll of the Maldives State Emblem. The classical Persian/Arabic name for the Maldives is Dibajat. The Dutch referred to the islands as Maldivische Eilanden (pronounced [mɑlˈdivisə ˈʔɛilɑndə(n)]), while the British anglicized the local name of the islands first to "Maldives Islands" and later to "Maldives".
In a book of conversations published in 1563, García da Orta writes: "I must tell you that I have heard that the natives do not call it Maldiva but Nalediva. In the Malabar language nale means four and diva isla. So in that language the word means "four islands", while we, corrupting the name, call it Maldive".
History
Comparative studies of oral, linguistic and cultural traditions and customs confirm that the first settlers of the archipelago were Dravidian peoples from Kerala, mainly fishermen from the south-west coast of India and the west coast of Sri Lanka.
Among the first communities with these characteristics is the Giraavaru people, descendants of ancient Tamils. It is indeed mentioned in ancient legends and folklore about the founding of the city and kingdom of Malé, and there is also a strong Tamil component to the population and culture of the Maldives. Also the Gujaratis are probably among the first settlers of the islands, coming from Gujarat at the beginning of the Indus Valley culture. The jataka and purana tales reveal important traces of the maritime trade carried on by these groups. It is also possible that there have been migrations from Southeast Asia.
Between the centuries VI and V a. The Sinhalese, descendants of the Kalinga prince-in-exile, Vijaya of Sri Lanka, came to the islands from the kingdoms of Orissa and Sinhapura in northwest India. According to the historical poem Mahavansa, one of the ships in which the monarch sailed arrived in the archipelago, and other sources speak of trips by its inhabitants to the islands. His establishments in Sri Lanka and some of the Maldives mark a major shift in the demographics and development of the Dhivehi language.
Ancient history
Between the centuries VI and V a. The Maldives already had their kingdoms. The country has an established history of more than 2,500 years, according to historical evidence and legends. The first settlers of the Maldives were probably Gujaratis, who arrived and settled in Sri Lanka. around the year 500 a. Evidence of North Indian cultural influence can be gleaned from shipbuilding methods and hallmarked silver coins.
The Mahāvaṃsa (300 BC) records that people from Sri Lanka immigrated to the Maldives. Based on the assumption that cowrie shells came from the Maldives, historians believe that there may have been people living in the Maldives during the Indus Valley Civilization (3300-1300 BC). Various artifacts show the presence of Hinduism in the country before the Islamic period.
According to the book Kitāb fi āthār Mīdhu al-qādimah (كتاب في آثار ميذو القديمة) (On the ancient ruins of Meedhoo), written in the XVII in Arabic by Allama Ahmed Shihabuddine (Allama Shihab al-Din) of Meedhoo, Addu Atoll, the first settlers of the Maldives were people known as Dheyvis. [They came from Kalibanga, India. The time of their arrival is unknown, but it was before the reign of Emperor Asoka, in 269-232 BC. Shihabuddin's account agrees remarkably with recorded history from South Asia and with that of the Maldivian copper document known as the Loamaafaanu.
The Maapanansa, the copper plates recording the history of the early Maldivian kings of the solar dynasty, were lost very soon.
A news item from the IV century written by Ammianus Marcellinus (AD 362) tells of gifts sent to the emperor Roman Julian by a delegation from the nation of Divi. The name Divi is very similar to that of Dheyvi, who were the first settlers of the Maldives.
The ancient history of the Maldives is told on the copper plates, the ancient scriptures engraved on coral artifacts, the traditions, the language and the different ethnicities of the Maldivians.
The early Maldivians did not leave any archaeological artifacts. Their buildings were probably made of wood, palm fronds, and other perishable materials, which would have rotted quickly in the salt and wind of a tropical climate. Furthermore, chiefs or rulers did not reside in elaborate stone palaces, nor did their religion require the construction of large temples or enclosures.
Comparative studies of Maldivian oral, linguistic and cultural traditions confirm that the earliest settlers were people from the southern shores of the neighboring Indian subcontinent, including the Giraavaru people, mentioned in ancient legends and local folklore about the establishment of the capital and royal government in Malé.
A strong underlying layer of Dravidian and North Indian cultures survives in Maldivian society, with a clear Elu substratum in the language, which also appears in place names, kinship terms, poetry, dance and religious beliefs. The North Indian system was brought by the original Sinhalese from Sri Lanka. The Malabar and Pandya seafaring culture led to the settlement of the islands by Tamil and Malabar seafarers.
The Maldive Islands are mentioned in ancient Tamil Sangam literature as "Munneer Pazhantheevam" or "Ancient islands of the three seas".
Buddhist Kingdom
Buddhism arrived in the Maldives in the III century BCE. C., during the Mauryan Empire, when Emperor Aśoka the Great extended his territory to regions of Afghanistan and Central Asia, beyond the northern border, as well as to the southern island of Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Although only briefly mentioned in most history books, the 1,400-year Buddhist period is of pivotal importance in the history of the Maldives. It was during this period that the culture of the Maldives developed and flourished, a culture that survives today. The Maldivian language, early Maldivian scriptures, architecture, governing institutions, customs and manners of the Maldivians originated from the time when the Maldives was a Buddhist kingdom.
Buddhism probably spread to the Maldives in the III century BCE. C. at the time of Emperor Ashoka's expansion, and became the dominant religion of the people of the Maldives until the 12th century d. Ancient Maldivian kings promoted Buddhism, and the earliest writings and artistic achievements of the Maldives, in the form of highly developed sculpture and architecture, come from this period. Almost all the archaeological remains in the Maldives come from Buddhist monasteries and stupas, and all the artifacts found to date show characteristic Buddhist iconography.
Buddhist (and Hindu) temples were mandala-shaped. They are oriented according to the four cardinal points with the main door facing east. Local historian Hassan Ahmed Maniku counted as many as 59 islands with Buddhist archaeological sites in a provisional list he published in 1990.
Portuguese and Dutch Colonization
Between 1550 and 1552 during the Reign of Sultan Ḥasan IX (later known as Dom Manoel) he renounced Islam two and a half years into his reign and left the Maldives for India, where he married a Christian woman in Goa. His apostasy and his alliance with the Portuguese was used by the latter to launch a series of expeditions to impose control of the Portuguese Empire over the Maldives.
The Sultan sent a Portuguese ship to Malé in 1552 with instructions that the Ministers and Chiefs be brought to Cochin. The ship is seized and everyone on board is killed. A second armed expedition from Cochin suffered the same fate.
In 1558 the Portuguese established a small garrison with a Viador (Viyazoru), or overseer of a factory (trading post) in the Maldives, which they managed from their main colony in Goa. The attempts to impose Catholic Christianity sparked a local revolt led by Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-A'uẓam and his two brothers, who fifteen years later expelled the Portuguese from the Maldives. This event is now commemorated as National Day.
That same year, Sulṭán Ali VI, was assassinated with only two and a half years of reign while defending Malé against the Portuguese colonizers.
In 1573 the expulsion of the Portuguese took place. Ghazi Muḥammad Bodu Takurufānu, refugee in Kolufuri, forms an expeditionary force that frees the islands from the Portuguese and kills Andiri Andiri who had proclaimed himself Sultan in 1558 and under whom the Christians sent to each atoll acted as chiefs.
In 1625 the Portuguese returned to the islands with the intention of recovering the territory, the locals successfully repulsed the attack on Malé by a Portuguese armada of 15 ships under the command of Domingos Ferreyra Belliyagu. After which Muhammed 'Imad al-Dīn I buys 12 cannons and orders the construction of a fort and other defensive works, including a breakwater to protect Maldivian shipping.
In 1649 the attacks of the Portuguese and Ali Raja of Cannanore against the Maldivians are repulsed, ending the annual payments to Ali Raja and the Portuguese.
In the mid-17th century 17th century, the Dutch, who had replaced the Portuguese as the dominant power in Ceylon, established a hegemony over Maldivian affairs without being directly involved in local affairs, which were governed according to centuries-old Islamic customs.
British Protectorate (1796-1965)
The British expelled the Dutch from Ceylon in 1796 and included the Maldives as a British Protectorate. The status of the Maldives as a British protectorate was officially recorded in an 1887 agreement in which the Sultan accepted British influence over Maldivian foreign relations and defense, while retaining local government, which continued to be regulated by traditional institutions. Muslims in exchange for an annual tribute. The islands' status was similar to that of other British protectorates in the Indian Ocean region, such as Zanzibar and the Truce States.
In British times, the sultan's powers were taken over by the chief minister, much to the chagrin of the British Governor-General, who continued to deal with the ineffectual sultan. Consequently, Great Britain encouraged the development of a constitutional monarchy, and in 1932 the first Constitution was proclaimed. However, the new arrangements favored neither the aging sultan nor the wily chief minister, but a young batch of British-educated reformers. As a result, angry mobs were instigated against the Constitution, which was publicly vandalized.
The Maldives remained a protectorate of the British crown until 1953, when the sultanate was suspended and the First Republic declared under the short-lived presidency of Muhammad Amin Didi. While serving as prime minister in the 1940s, Didi nationalized the fish export industry. As president, he is remembered as a reformer of the education system and a promoter of women's rights. Malé's conservatives eventually ousted his government, and during a riot over food shortages, Didi was beaten by a mob and died on a nearby island.
Beginning in the 1950s, the political history of the Maldives was heavily influenced by the British military presence on the islands. In 1954, the restoration of the sultanate perpetuated the rule of the past. Two years later, the UK was granted permission to re-establish its RAF Gan airfield on the southernmost Addu Atoll, with hundreds of locals. However, in 1957, the new prime minister, Ibrahim Nasir, called for a review of the agreement. Nasir was challenged in 1959 by a local secessionist movement in the three southernmost atolls that benefited financially from the British presence on Gan. This group cut ties with the Maldivian government and formed an independent state, the United Suvadive Republic, with Abdullah Afif as its president and Hithadhoo as its capital. A year later, the Suvadive republic disintegrated after Nasir sent gunboats from Malé with government police, and Abdulla Afif went into exile. Meanwhile, in 1960 the Maldives had allowed the UK to continue to use both the Gan and Hithadhoo facilities for a period of thirty years, paying £750,000 over the period 1960 to 1965 for the economic development of the Maldives. the maldives The base was closed in 1976 as part of the broader withdrawal of permanently stationed British forces "east of Suez".
Independence
Independence from the United Kingdom was obtained in 1965, after which the sultanate that had existed since 1153 continued for another three years. On November 11, 1968, it was de facto abolished and replaced by a republic.
On December 26, 2004, the islands were devastated by a tsunami, which followed the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, which caused waves up to 4.5 meters high and almost completely inundated the country. At least eighty-two people died, including six foreigners, and infrastructure was completely destroyed on 13 inhabited islands and twenty-nine of the tourist islands.
Government and politics
The Maldives is a presidential republic, that is, where the President is the head of state and government. The president is elected for five years, by secret vote of parliament and later endorsed by a referendum.
Legislative power is held by a unicameral parliament, the Majlis of the Maldives, made up of fifty members, forty-two elected by universal suffrage and eight appointed by the president. It is renewed every five years.
Until 2005, the Maldives had a one-party system dominated by the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party. That year, political parties were legalized, with the Maldives Democratic Party being the main opposition referent. On October 29, 2008, the country's first multi-party elections gave victory to former political prisoner Mohamed Nasheed, a victory that was recognized by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, thus ushering in a deep but serene change of government. The return through the polls to the democratic regime was widely recorded and commented on by the international press.
On Tuesday, February 7, 2012, President Mohamed Nasheed resigned from his post due to popular riots and police mutiny as a result of the arrest of the supreme judge, a sympathizer of the country's previous president, promoter of democratic elections that would lead to the free presentation of various political parties and the separation of the three powers of the State, in a situation that is understood as a violation of the judiciary in the country. The vice president, Mohamed Waheed Hassan, assumed power after his resignation.
Among his government actions with the greatest impact is having explored the possibility that the country might actually disappear due to global warming, expressing the need to anticipate a massive displacement of Maldivians. Another notable measure has been his initiative to nationally eliminate virtually all greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
The country is part of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Foreign Relations
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Since 1996, the Maldives has been the official observer of the progress of the Indian Ocean Commission. In 2002, the Maldives began to express its interest in the Commission, but until 2008 it had not applied for membership. The Maldives' interest is related to its identity as a small island state, especially economic development and environmental preservation, and its desire to strengthen relations with France, one of the main players in the IOC region.
The Maldives is a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The republic entered the Commonwealth in 1982, some 17 years after it gained independence from the United Kingdom. In October 2016, the Maldives announced its withdrawal from the Commonwealth in protest of allegations of human rights abuses and failure of democracy. The Maldives maintains close ties with Commonwealth members Seychelles and Mauritius. Maldives and Comoros are also members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Following his election as president in 2018, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and his Cabinet decided that the Maldives would apply for reinstatement to the Commonwealth, with readmission to take place on February 1, 2020.
Human Rights
In terms of human rights, regarding membership of the seven bodies of the International Bill of Human Rights, which include the Human Rights Committee (HRC), the Maldives has signed or ratified:
 Maldives | International treaties | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CESCR | CCPR | CERD | CED | CEDAW | CAT | CRC | MWC | CRPD | |||||||||
| CESCR | CESCR-OP | CCPR | CCPR-OP1 | CCPR-OP2-DP | CEDAW | CEDAW-OP | CAT | CAT-OP | CRC | CRC-OP-AC | CRC-OP-SC | CRPD | CRPD-OP | ||||
| Pertenence |  |  | | | |   | | | | | | |  | | | | |
 Signed and ratified,  signed, but not ratified,  neither signed nor ratified,  without information,  it has agreed to sign and ratify the body concerned, but also recognizes the competence to receive and process individual communications from the competent bodies. | |||||||||||||||||
Status of major international human rights instruments
Same-sex relationships in the Muslim-majority Republic of Maldives are illegal under Islamic or sharia law, though not under national law. In addition, the Maldives was one of the initially fifty-seven (now fifty-four) to sign a statement opposing the United Nations declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity that was introduced in 2008. Penalties for the crime of homosexuality range from house arrest, deportation, six years in jail, whipping and even death for repeat offenders. Marriage, civil or religious, of same-sex couples is also constitutionally prohibited.
In April 2017, the Maldivian's first openly gay blogger, Hilath Rasheed, was assassinated by unidentified men. In 2010 he had been arrested after supporting religious and gender freedom and his website shut down.
Law
Under the Maldivian Constitution, "judges are independent and subject only to the Constitution and the law. When deciding matters on which the Constitution or the law is silent, judges must take Islamic Shari'ah into account.
Islam is the official religion of the Maldives and the open practice of any other religion is prohibited. The 2008 Constitution says that the republic "is based on the principles of Islam" and that "no law may be applied contrary to any principle of Islam." Non-Muslims are prohibited from being citizens.
The requirement to adhere to a specific religion and the prohibition to practice public worship following other religions is contrary to article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of which the Maldives has recently become a party to and was addressed in the Maldives reservation by acceding to the Covenant stating that "The application of the principles laid down in article 18 of the Covenant shall be without prejudice to the Constitution of the Republic of Maldives&# 34;.
On July 16, 2015, a new penal code came into force that replaces the 1968 law, being the first modern and complete penal code that incorporates the main principles and postulates of Islamic law.
Same-sex relationships are illegal in the Maldives, although resorts are often portrayed as 'exceptions' to this. to this law.
Defense
The Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) is the combined security organization responsible for upholding the security and sovereignty of the Maldives, having as its main task serving all internal and external security needs of the Maldives, including the protection of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the maintenance of peace and security. The branches that make up the MNDF are the Coast Guard, the Marine Corps, the Special Forces, the Service Corps, the Military Police, the Engineer Corps, the Special Protection Group, the Medical Service, the Air Force and the Fire and Rescue Service. The Maldives has an agreement with India that allows for cooperation on radar coverage.
As a coastal nation, much of its security concerns lie at sea. Almost 99% of the country is covered by sea and the remaining 1% of land is scattered in an area of 800 km (497 mi) × 120 km (75 mi), with the largest island no more than 8 square kilometers.. Therefore, the tasks assigned to the FDM of maintaining surveillance over the Maldivian waters and providing protection against foreign intruders engaging in poaching in the EEZ and territorial waters are immense tasks both from the point of view logistic and economic.
The Coast Guard plays a vital role in carrying out these functions. To provide timely security, their patrol boats are stationed at various MNDF Regional Headquarters. The Coast Guard is also assigned to respond to maritime distress calls and conduct search and rescue operations in a timely manner.
In 2019, the Maldives signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Territorial organization
The Maldives is made up of twenty-six natural atolls, which have been organized into twenty atoll administrations and one city. The atoll in the far north of the archipelago is Haa Alif Atoll and the far south is Seenu Atoll. The smallest is the Gnaviyani Atoll that has only one island, Fuvammulah, which is the largest island in the Maldives. The largest atoll in the Maldives is Gaafu Alif Atoll, which lies south of the "One and a Half Degree Channel".
Each atoll is administered by an Atoll Chief (Atholhu Veriyaa), who is appointed by the president. The heads of the atolls run the administration according to the instructions they receive from the president. The responsibility for the administration of the atolls is shared between the Ministry of Atoll Administration and its regional offices South and North, and the offices of atolls and islands. The administrative head of each island is the Island Chief (Katheeb), who is appointed by the president. The immediate boss of the Island Boss is the Atoll Boss.
The Maldives is divided into these 20 administrative districts and its capital Male, one of the most densely populated cities in the world, with a population of approximately 105,000 people for an area of 6 km². The main peculiarity is that most of the names of the atolls are letters of the Thaana alphabet:
| Letra | Abbreviation | Local letters | Administrative name | Primary Division |
| A | Ha. | Haa Alif | Thiladhunmathi | |
| B | HDh | Haa Dhaalu | ||
| C | Sh | Shaviyani | Miladhunmadulu | |
| D | N | Noonu | ||
| E | R | Raa | Maalhosmadulu | |
| F | B | Baa | ||
| G | Lh | Lhaviyani | Faadhippolhu | |
| H | K | Kaafu | Malé | |
| U | AA | Alif Alif | Ari | |
| I | ADh | Alif Dhaal | ||
| J | V | Vaavu | Felidhu | |
| K | M | Meemu | Mulaku | |
| L | F | Faafu | Nilandhé | |
| M | Dh | Dhaalu | ||
| N | Th | Thaa | Kolhumadulu | |
| O | L | Laamu | Haddhunmathi | |
| P | GA | Gaafu Alif | Huvadhu | |
| Q | GDh | Gaafu Dhaalu | ||
| R | Gn | Gnaviyani | Fuvammulah | |
| S | S | Seenu | Addu | |
| - | - | Malé | Maale Uthuruburi |
Geography
The Maldives hold the record for the world's flattest country, with a maximum elevation of just 2.8 meters on Villingili Island in the Addu Atoll. Reports indicate a dangerous rise in sea levels.
The archipelago is made up of about 1,190 coral islands grouped into a double chain of 26 atolls, following a north-south direction, occupying an area of about 90,000 km², making it one of the countries most scattered in the world. The atolls extend between latitude 7°6'30''N and 0°42'30''S, and longitudes 72°32'30& #39;'E and 73°46'15''E. They are composed of living coral reefs and bars, located at the top of a 960 km submarine chain that rises abruptly from the depths of the Indian Ocean. Just south of this barrier reef are two safe passages for navigation across the Indian Ocean through Maldivian territory.
The largest island in the Maldives is Gan, in the Laamu Atoll.
Climate
The Maldives have a tropical climate moderated by the presence of the Indian Ocean, which determines an almost constant temperature throughout the year. Very rarely the temperature drops below 25 °C.
The climate of the Maldives is determined by the monsoon system, typical of certain tropical and equatorial regions. There are two important periods: the "dry" monsoon season; winter (iruvai) that blows from the northeast from November to March, which is the coolest time; and the wet summer monsoon season (hulhangu) which blows from the southwest from May to November. The latter is characterized by more violent winds and greater precipitation. In the intermediate periods of mid-April and the end of November, the weather conditions are very mild and the waters are clearest. Humidity is clearly lower during the winter monsoon.
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Temperature
The average temperature fluctuates between 26 °C (min.) and 31 °C (max.) throughout the year in the intermediate areas between the north and south of the archipelago, with very wide daily and nighttime temperature ranges. small everywhere; the lowest temperature ever recorded was 17.2 °C (probably very close to the absolute minimum that has ever been recorded in the entire area of the archipelago) on April 11, 1978, while on May 19, 1991 it was reached the famous maximum of 36.8 °C.
But it has been found to be exceeded on a few other occasions, but where there weren't enough reliable detectors to divulge an exact figure, all by inference (there have been really hot and muggy spells, and there are periodically, without however, very often). The hottest month is April, although the driest and sunniest are February and March; In addition, the constant presence of the monsoon breeze manages to attenuate the sensation (without eliminating it) of heat and muggy weather, making the climate, outside of the rainy periods, certainly appreciable or tolerable despite the decidedly high average relative humidity (but constant throughout the day, therefore around 75%-80% both day and night).
The sea temperature fluctuates between 28-29 °C in the extra-lagoon waters and 30-32 °C in the lagoons; furthermore, within the atolls, the thermocline is almost non-existent. The maximum rainfall occurs in the months between May and December (200–250 mm/month), while in February and March they are very scarce (50–80 mm/month); January and April are transition months, with rainfall that varies from year to year (around 160mm/month). At the turn of the monsoon (between mid-May and the end of November) there are usually violent downpours or thunderstorms, with constant winds or intense gusts that can last for several days.
| Maldives Climate Table | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | ENE | FEB | MAR | ABR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AGO | SEP | OCT | NOV | DIC |
| Hours sun/day | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
| Temp. noon at °C | 29 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 |
| Early night at °C | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
| Temp. water at °C | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
| Days with rain | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 12 |
Sea level rise
The 2007 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted that the upper limit of sea level rises will be 59 centimeters (23 inches) by 2100, meaning that most of the 200 inhabited islands of the republic may have to be abandoned. According to researchers at the University of Southampton, the Maldives are the third most threatened island nation by flooding due to climate change as a percentage of population.
Former President Mohamed Nasheed said in 2012 that "if carbon emissions continue to rise at the current rate, my country will be under water in seven years. "In an appearance on the US television programs The Daily Show and Late Show with David Letterman, he called for more measures to mitigate climate change and in 2009 organized "the first underwater cabinet meeting in the world. world" to raise awareness of the threats posed by climate change. Nasheed's predecessor, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, also expressed concern about rising sea levels.
In 2008, Nasheed announced plans to buy new land in India, Sri Lanka and Australia due to concerns about global warming and the possibility of large parts of the islands being inundated with water from rising sea levels.. The purchase of land will be made with a fund generated by tourism. The president explained his intentions: "We don't want to leave the Maldives, but we also don't want to be climate refugees living in tents for decades."
By 2020, the Maldives plans to eliminate or offset all its greenhouse gas emissions. At the 2009 International Climate Talks, Nasheed explained that
For us, giving up fossil fuels is not only the right thing to do, but it is in our own economic interest... Leading countries will break free from the unpredictable price of foreign oil, take advantage of the new green economy of the future and improve their position morale, which will give them greater political influence on the world scene"
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In 2020, a three-year study from the University of Plymouth found that as tides move sediment to create higher elevation, islands, and also Tuvalu and Kiribati, could rise instead of sink.
Flora
The terrain of the Maldives, largely made up of sand and marine debris, is not especially favorable for the development of many plant species. However, many islands are covered with a rich vegetation of tropical plants, perfectly adapted to poor soils and hot climates.
Although air and water temperatures remain quite high throughout the year, the coral islands that make up the Maldives archipelago only have lush vegetation in some places: The scarcity of topsoil and the absence of water fresh surface (lakes and rivers) and subterranean (springs), combined with the small size of the islands (most of which are less than one square kilometer) and the very nature of the island's coral banks, greatly limit the Spectacular plant growth, with the exception of the magnificent coconut palms that line the lagoons, the mangroves and a few patches of rainforest (which produce precious wood). The arable surfaces are not very large either, to the point of not being able to satisfy the food needs of the inhabitants. For this reason, and also to meet the high demand for food from tourism, large quantities of agricultural products are imported from abroad. In terms of arable land, the most fertile island is Fuvammulah, at the southern tip of the archipelago, whose extensive plantations include tropical fruit crops such as mango and pineapple.
The coconut tree is included in the national emblem of the Maldives and is explicitly called "dhivehi ruh", meaning the Maldivian palm.
Marine ecosystem
The Maldivian waters are home to diverse ecosystems, but stand out for their variety of colorful coral reefs, home to 1,100 species of fish, 5 species of sea turtles, 21 species of whales and dolphins, 187 species of coral, 400 species of mollusks and 83 species of echinoderms. Many crustacean species can be found there too: 120 copepods, 15 amphipods, as well as more than 145 crab species and 48 shrimp species.
Among the many marine families represented are: puffer fish, fusilier fish, caranx lugubris, lion fish, plectorhinchus, reef shark, grouper, eels, snapper, butterfly fish, bat fish, wrasse, marbled ray, scorpion fish, lobsters, nudibranchs, pterophyllum, butterfly fish, rufous lampfish, lampfish, glassfish, surgeonfish, unicorn fish, triggerfish, and barracudas.
These coral reefs are home to diverse marine ecosystems that range from planktonic organisms to whale sharks. Sponges have gained importance, since five of their species have been shown to have antitumor and anticancer properties.
In 1998, the warming of marine waters of up to 5 °C, caused by the climatic event called El Niño Phenomenon, caused coral bleaching, thus killing 2/3 of the national coral reef.
In an effort to induce reef regeneration, scientists placed electrified cones at locations 6.1-18.3 m below the surface, thus providing a substrate to aid coral attachment. In 2004, scientists witnessed the regeneration of corals. The corals began to expel pink-orange eggs and sperm. The growth of these electrified corals was five times faster than that of ordinary corals. Scientist Azeez Hakin stated:
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Before 1998, we never thought this reef would die. We had always taken for granted that these animals would be there, that this reef would be there forever. The Child made us a call for attention, that these things are not going to be there forever. Not only this, it also acts as a natural barrier against tropical storms, floods and tsunamis. Algae grow on dead coral skeletons. Coral reefs are for marine life like tropical rainforests.
2004 Tsunami
A tsunami in the Indian Ocean, triggered by the earthquake on December 26, 2004, caused a section of the Maldives to be covered by the sea, left many people homeless, killed 82 people and 26 others disappeared. After the disaster, cartographers are planning to remap the islands devastated by tsunami disturbances. The people and the government are concerned that the country will eventually be wiped off the map.
Environmental protection
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It is mandatory for each tourist island to have its own waste incineration plant and its own seawater desalination plants. The electricity required for this is generated almost exclusively by diesel generators. Metal and plastic waste from the capital Malé and some nearby islands is collected and deposited on the Thilafushi waste island. The vast majority of the islands "tiran" their waste into the sea. There is no facility to dispose of used oil from the many ships or generators. Rubble from hotel buildings also often ends up in the sea.
In practice, environmental protection is as non-existent in the Maldives as environmental awareness. Environmental protection laws exist on paper, but compliance is not monitored or violations are punished. For example, the built-up surface of a tourist complex cannot exceed 20% of the surface of the island. The practice is very different, which is usually clearly visible to the visitor upon arrival or departure.
The government does not check compliance with construction plans, nor do they impose sanctions for the usual corruption. The government is interested in having the largest possible number of fully occupied tourist beds. Most new hotel islands are molded into the desired shape by "landscaping". This is done by "dredging" and sand pumping, which causes tremendous damage to reefs. Private airports for resort chains, such as Maamingili Airport in South Ari Atoll, are also obtained by filling in a reef.
It is illegal to catch sharks within an atoll. However, this goes unchecked, so the once huge shark population of the Maldives has disappeared, except for a few remnants. Sharks are not eaten, but are captured to export their fins to the Far East and, after cutting them off (the so-called "shark finning"), they are returned to the sea, where they die in agony. More and more reef fish, such as red snapper and grouper, are being caught for the world's luxury markets. As they are resident fish, their population is in danger. 'Night fishing', very popular on all the hotel islands, contributes to the decline in the fish population. Turtles are also protected, but their egg clutches are not, which means that the Maldives hardly produce any baby turtles.
In the late 1990s, the Maldivian government established large areas as a marine national park. In theory it is not allowed to build new tourist accommodation in these areas. Since former President Naesheed agreed to the construction of more resorts, the pressure on nature, already badly damaged, has increased even more. However, outside the national parks, people continue to use the coral reef blocks for the construction of houses. In addition, industrial exploitation of the reefs to reclaim land from the sea continues (such as the expansion of the airport and Hulumalé).
Environmentalists around the world are trying to raise awareness about the environment and stop the destruction of reefs. Off the Maldivian island of Ihuru, scientists Tom Goreau and Wolf Hilbertz created artificial coral reefs using Biorock technology.
Economy
The economy of the Maldives has historically been dependent on fishing. For about four decades, tourism has grown in importance to become the main national economic line. In statistics, this development has contributed to the fact that the Maldivian are among the richest in Asia. However, the redistribution of wealth is very low, as 40% of the inhabitants live on less than a dollar a day.
Among the initiatives aimed at combating global warming is that of reducing dependence on non-renewable energies by 2020. In addition to being viable given the country's conditions, this policy has also been a tool to attract attention on an international scale.
The issuance of postage stamps, mainly for philatelic collecting, is also an important source of income for its economy.
Tourism
After independence and the rise of international tourism, the Maldives began to receive its first foreign tourists. The Italians, who "discovered" this destination for vacations, still today occupy the first position in number of visitors. The government of the Maldives, suspicious that their country would lose its customs and way of life in the face of a possible massive arrival of tourists, decided to carry out a feasibility study for the tourist exploitation of the country. He commissioned this study to a Danish consulting firm, which declared such a possibility unfeasible, but made certain recommendations: separating the local population from the tourist, the islands always seem to have achieved the high income necessary to enjoy this destination; and to maintain the natural environment in the same condition it was in, with a large part of the income from tourism going to conservation, in order to continue exploiting the islands economically without losing their attractiveness.
The country's success with tourism, together with its management model, is due to the chromatic richness of its waters and the abundance of underwater life, as evidenced by the fact that it is one of the first destinations for divers in the world. Due to its tropical characteristics and the added value of its hotel complexes, it has become a highly appreciated destination for luxury tourism.
Europeans represent the majority of visitors with just over 75% of them. According to their country of origin, the majority of visitors are European, mainly from Italy (20%), the United Kingdom (18%) and Germany (12%), although there are also a good number of tourists from developed economies in Asia such as Japan, Singapore, or emerging countries, this continent being the one that has recently increased the most in the number of tourists arriving in the Maldives.
The development of tourism, which has directly and indirectly created employment, began in the early 1970s. Currently, tourism is responsible for the largest inflow of foreign currency into the country, contributing 33% of GNP and 80% of foreign currency reserves. With 86 tourist centers in operation, in the year 2000 the figure of 467,174 foreign tourists was reached, a number that in 2007 rose to 650,000. In 2010 there were more than 100 resorts. This international projection, however, has made the country and its infrastructure more vulnerable to the actions of international terrorism.
The accommodations made available to the client can vary, from bungalows built among the vegetation or on logs in the water, to hotels. For lovers of scuba diving, Life on board style boats are offered.
President Mohamed Nasheed ordered in 2008 that a fund would be set up with the large income from tourism to buy territory on the continent, anticipating the national exodus due to global warming.
Fishing
The economy of the Maldives was for many centuries totally dependent on fishing and the products derived from it; and even today it continues to be the main occupation of the population. This makes the government give special priority to the development of the fishing sector.
Fishing has developed considerably in recent times. In 1974 the traditional fishing boat was mechanized and three years later a fish packing plant was installed on the island of Felivaru. In addition, in 1979 a Committee was created that advises the government on fishing issues and issues related to fishing have even been included in the school curriculum. Thanks to this development and the establishment of the Maldives Exclusive Economic Zone, the fishing industry contributes more than 15% in GDP.
Transportation
It is convenient to highlight the Ibrahim Nasir International Airport which is located on the island of Hululu, being the main airline Emirates that offers two daily direct flights from Dubai. To move between the different islands you can use water taxis and seaplanes. In addition, the main islands are linked by a service of wooden boats called "doni". In the capital you can hire both taxis and motorcycles and bicycles to move within it.
Agriculture
Agriculture is limited due to the scarcity of arable land. Despite this there are small plantations of coconut palms, papaya and breadfruit. The coconut represents the main agricultural resource, making fabrics with its fiber and being used for local food. Traditionally the coconut was so important that the value of an island was determined by the number of coconut palms it possessed. This number was rigorously controlled by the Chief of the island (Katibu) every year. On the larger islands there are small fruit and vegetable plantations, which are limited by the scarcity of water and the salinity of the land. Some experiments with hydroponics have also been done, with little success.
Demographics
According to 2022 estimates, the population of the Maldives is 579,330. Originally Buddhist, the Sinhalese converted to Islam in the mid-century XII. Islam is the official religion.
There are some social stratifications on the islands, but they are not too rigid, as status is determined by various factors, including occupation, wealth, family ties, etc. Members of the social elite are concentrated in Malé. This town is the only one where the local population and foreigners interact. The resort hotels in the Maldives are not located on the islands where the native population lives, and contacts between the two groups are rare.
A small town called the Giravaaru claim to be the original settlers of the Maldives.
Languages
The official language is Dhivehi, an Indo-European language related to Sinhala, the official language of Sri Lanka. The writing system is from right to left.
The earliest known script used for Dhivehi is the eveyla akuru script, found in the historical record of kings (raadhavalhi). Later a script called dhives akuru was used for a long period. The current script is called Thaana. The thaana is said to have been introduced during the reign of Mohamed Thakurufaanu.
English is widely spoken by Maldivians: "Following the opening of the nation to the outside world, the introduction of English as a medium of instruction at secondary and tertiary levels of education, and recognition by part of its rule of tourism opportunities, English has become firmly established in the country. In this sense, the Maldives is quite similar to the countries of the Gulf region. The nation is undergoing a great social change, and English is part of it".
Religion
Until the 11th century, the religion of the islands was Buddhism, as evidenced by various remains of temples and pagodas, such as those of Ari Atoll. In 1153, the population converted to Islam thanks to contact with Abul Barakaat Yousuf Al Barbary, one of the many Muslim merchants who traveled the route between the Horn of Africa and India.
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Even today, many residents are still afraid of demons and monsters, which they have exorcised through "hakeem" using rites, antidotes and potions.
Although the Maldives was traditionally a country of moderate Islamism, the rise to power of Islamist-backed President Abdulla Yameen in 2013, thanks to a disputed presidential election, changed the situation. Influenced by Wahhabi clerics trained in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Islamist proselytizing is gaining ground, particularly in prison settings. Thus, numerous sheikhs increasingly occupy the public space (universities, television, their sermons are broadcast once a month on national channels, etc.). Several NGOs denounce the increase in early marriages on remote islands, as well as the growing rejection of vaccinating children. Dr. Mohamed Iyaz, an influential advisor to the government on Quranic jurisprudence, also promoted female circumcision as a "religious obligation."
In 2014, a hundred Maldivian women were publicly flogged for "acts of fornication. In 2015, between 50 and 200 Maldivians left for the territories of the Islamic State. Although the government has officially condemned the jihad in Syria, activists and opponents criticize its inaction on this issue, and some even fear the creation of a caliphate in the Maldives. These events threaten Western tourism in the archipelago, which derives half of its income from the islands; however, keep in mind that tourists often stay in hotels away from the population and the surrounding religious prohibitions. During his campaign for the 2018 Maldivian presidential election, which he ultimately lost to Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the current president Abdulla Jameen declared himself the candidate of Islam against the 'infidels'.
The Constitution itself defines the Republic of Maldives as a republic, in which the Muslim religion plays a fundamental role as it is the State religion, the only one allowed in the archipelago. Any other religion is strictly prohibited for Maldivians, while foreign residents can practice their religion if they do so in private and do not encourage locals to participate. Any kind of proselytizing is severely repressed.
In addition, the national flag clearly shows a white crescent on a green field bordered with red.
There are about 3,000 Christians (0.6% of the population) and about 1,000 Buddhists, mainly in the south (about 0.2% of the population). Hindus number between 20 and 30. According to the World Christian Persecution Index 2022, the Maldives is the 16th country that persecutes Christians the most.
It is forbidden to bring into the country books of religions other than Islam, as well as objects such as crosses, statuettes of Buddha or Hindu gods, religious images, alcohol, pork, etc., even for personal use. When these objects are found in the luggage of tourists who come to spend a few days in the Maldives, they are confiscated at the airport, kept in a locker and returned to the owner upon final departure.
Culture
The culture of the Maldives stems from a number of sources, the most important of which is its proximity to the coasts of Sri Lanka and South India. The population is mostly Indo-Aryan from the anthropological point of view. The language is of Indo-Iranian Sanskrit origin, which points to a later influence in the north of the subcontinent. The Dhivehi language is closely related to the Sinhala language. According to legends, the royal dynasty that ruled the country in the past has its origins there. It is possible that these ancient kings brought Buddhism from the subcontinent, but it is not clear.
Similar legends exist in Sri Lanka, but it is unlikely that ancient Maldivian royals brought Buddhism to the island, because none of the Sri Lankan chronicles mention the Maldives. It is unlikely that the ancient Sri Lankan chronicles would not have mentioned the Maldives, if these were a branch of his kingdom that would have extended to the Maldives. From the 12th century d. Arabian influences are found in the language and culture of the Maldives as a result of the general conversion to Islam in the 12th century and its location as a commercial crossroads in the central Indian Ocean. In the island's culture there are few elements of African origin and of the slaves brought to court by the royal family and nobility from their trips to Arabia in the past.
Folklore
In a strictly folkloric sense, costumed folk dances are accompanied by traditional music played on percussion instruments, such as the bodu beru or "big drum", the Maldivian national instrument, the thaara, the bandiyaa jehun or the kadhaa maali. The ensemble of musicians is usually made up of four or five percussionists who accompany the dancers with rhythms clearly influenced by African music. The dancers' movements, initially slow and smooth, become increasingly frantic as the tempo of the music increases. Bodu beru, the best produced on Felidhoo Atoll, are made from the hollowed-out trunks of coconut palms and covered with the skin of the stingray, a fish in the stingray family.
Sports
A multitude of sports are practiced in the Maldives including cricket, soccer, and water sports.
The Maldives first participated in the Olympic Games in 1988. Since then it has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games, but has not participated in the Winter Olympic Games.
As of 2022, the Maldives have not won any medals at the Olympic Games.
The Maldives National Olympic Committee was created in 1985 and recognized by the International Olympic Committee that same year.
The Maldives national cricket team represents the country in international cricket. Although it did not become an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) until 2001, it has participated in the ACC Trophy on every occasion since its inception in 1996. They have never gone beyond the first round of the tournament. He became an associate member in 2017.
Football in the Maldives is run by the Football Association of Maldives (FAM). The association administers the national soccer team as well as the national league. Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the country.
The Football Association of Maldives (FAM), founded in 1982, is the governing body for football in the Maldives. The association, under the direction of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, is responsible for all regulatory aspects of the sport in the Maldives. In 1986, the FAM became a member of the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA, respectively.
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