Maldives

The Maldives are an island republic in the Indian Ocean, southwest of India and Sri Lanka, made up of 26 atolls stretching across the equator. Malé, once the seat of the royal dynasties, is the capital, and the Maldivian people call their country Dhivehi Raajje.

The islands have been lived on for more than 2,500 years, and Arab travelers began visiting around 947. The last Buddhist king, Dhovemi, converted to Islam in 1153, and the Maldives grew into a sultanate with trade ties to Asia and Africa. In 1558 the Portuguese set up a garrison run from Goa, and Muhammad Thakurufaanu drove them out 15 years later, a victory still marked as National Day. The Dutch in Ceylon later held sway over Maldivian affairs without ruling directly.

The Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887, gained independence in 1965 and became a presidential republic in 1968. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was president from 1978 to 2008. The activist Mohamed Nasheed founded the Maldivian Democratic Party in 2003, and a new constitution in 2008 brought the first direct presidential election, which he won.

The Maldives are the smallest country in Asia, with 298 km² (115 sq mi) of land scattered over about 90,000 km² of sea, and with an average height of 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) above sea level it is the lowest-lying country in the world. Tourism is now the largest industry, ahead of fishing, which long led the economy, and the 26 atolls run from Ihavandhippolhu in the north to Addu in the south. The country left the Commonwealth in 2016 and rejoined on 1 February 2020.