Hundreds of gem-like islands with pearly white sandy beaches scattered across 26 Atolls, un-spoilt and left there to be explored. Those who visit describe the Maldives as a little piece of paradise and we agree, cause barefoot or first thing in the morning you wake up to blue sunny skies, crystal clear azure waters full of vibrant corals & schools of fishes dancing to the rhythm of the waves. The sea breeze brushing through the lush vegetation of coconut trees playing nature’s most wonderful songs.
With a predominately Muslim faith, Maldivians are quite conservative and wear traditional dress. Males wear a sarong and white cotton shirt, while females wear a traditional libaas which is a long dress with gold and silver thread. Guests must also be fully clothed while swimming at the beaches on the mainland unless swimming at a designated bikini beach. However, this rule does not apply at the resort islands and guests are free to soak up the sunshine in whatever swimming attire they please.
Located in the Indian ocean, mostly north & slightly south of the equator, between 7*6’30 latitude north and 0*41’48 latitude south, Between 72*32’30 & 73*45’54 longitude east.
Pearls of paradise spanning across the equator consisting of an estimated 1,192 islands stranded along a length of 871 KM & only 298 square KM of that is dry land & 200 of the islands are inhabited, but the beauty of Maldives is not only above waters as five percent of the entire planets most colorful reefs, but a home for thousands of species of fishes also surrounds the Maldives. The majority of these islands are very small and can be walked across in less than 10 minutes, the maximum height of the islands is usually just 3 meters above sea level.
As mentioned earlier 1,192 is an estimation because if we include the sandbanks and coral auto crops the figures can come up to approximately 2000 but it's complicated as for the fact that the islands come and go. Perhaps this is the charm and beauty of the Maldives.
Currently, the population of Maldives is 341,256. Even as presently Maldivians adhere to the Sunni school of Islam (Maldives embraced Islam in 1153 AD). Maldivians share a similar culture, heritage, history, and ancestry to Sinhala of Sri Lanka, Marathi's and Gujarati's of India, Arabs, Malays, and North African dispositions. It’s a pot of mixed cultures and it has enriched the culture and history of our country.
As a Sunni school of Islam, our religion plays a key role in shaping the Maldivian society and some of our most famous island marks are greatly influenced by Islamic architecture. However, before the country converted to Islam the Maldivians were said to practice Buddhism and ancient Paganism, and therefore very few Buddhist ruins and some of the artifacts can be viewed displayed in our national museum located in the capital city male’.
One of the best things to experience in the Maldives is our welcome. The locals are known to offer fresh young coconut as a welcome drink and this is done as a cultural acceptance and welcome to all who visit. This tradition has been practiced for generations and still continues even to this day in local islands and resorts.
The culture, customs, and general behavior of Maldivians are mostly and mainly influenced by Indians, Sri Lankans, Arabs, and North Africans who have said to the frequent Maldives a long time back when the Maldives was known as a port in their travel trading routes.
Our culture is rich and vibrant due to the infusions of various cultural elements however throughout the years we as Maldivians have built an exclusive and one-of-a-kind cultural identity.
Looking back, we have inherited a vast treasure of ancient mythology and folklore passed orally throughout generations.
We Maldivian people are welcoming and friendly folk. Accepting any cultural and religious background given our way of beginning.
