The Republic of Maldives. Maldives on the world map. Maldives - the sea

The Maldives Republic is the smallest Asian country in the world. It is a collection of islands, lost in the midst of the boundless Indian Ocean. Every year, land areas are increasingly submerged in water and, according to researchers, they are soon threatened with serious flooding. Due to the melting of glaciers, the level of water in the ocean is constantly rising, which could soon lead the islands of the Maldives to a catastrophe. If you want to visit this truly paradise, where time seems to have stopped - hurry! Its pristine beauty will not leave anyone indifferent - white sandy beaches, blue lagoons, evergreen tropical trees will forever remain in the soul of any traveler.

Where on the map of the Maldives? Geographical position of the state

Maldives on the world map is difficult to find. This small country is located in the Indian Ocean, to the south of the Hindustan Peninsula and to the southwest of the island of Ceylon. Its closest neighbors are India (595 km), Sri Lanka (670 km) and Chagos Archipelago (500 km). You can see the Maldives on the map below. The Maldives Republic is a coral archipelago, the length of which from the west to the east is 130 km, and from north to south - 823 km. It consists of 1196 small islands of supposedly volcanic origin. They form a double chain of 26 atolls - large coral land areas, which look like a rupture ring. The largest and most significant are the Southern Male Atoll, Daalu-atoll (Dhaalu-atoll), Mimuth-atoll, Fafu-atoll (Nord Niland), Ariya-atoll. The distance between groups of coral islands varies from 25 to 80 km.

The total area of land and surface reefs of the Maldives is 298 square kilometers. Km., And the total area together with the water area - 900,000 square meters. Km. Of the more than 1100 islands, only 202 are inhabited, with more than 70 of them being first-class tourist resorts.

Historical reference

Very little was known about the early history of the Maldives. It is believed that the culture of the Maldives appeared before the V century BC. Fragments of ceramics found during the excavations, suggest that the settlements of the redoubts were based on the islands already in 2000 BC. In 500 BC. On the southern islands there were Buddhists who arrived from Fr. Ceylon. This fact is confirmed by the ancient Buddhist manuscript and the head of the Buddha statue dating from the 11th century. The first Chinese navigators reached the islands of the Maldives in 412. Since 1153 - since the adoption of Islam - all major historical events have been recorded in the history of the Sultanate. According to numerous evidences of seafarers, for a long time the islands were ruled by female sultans. Europeans up to the 15th century. Did not know anything about the country and did not mark the Maldives on the world map until Vasco da Gama crossed the Indian Ocean. In 1507, the islands sailed Lourenzo de Almeida, and in 1529 - the brothers Parmentier. Since 1558 on the islands, the Portuguese dominated, until the guerrilla war began, and they were not destroyed. Further, up to 1760, the Maldives were under the protection of the French, and from the middle of the 17th century, - the Dutch, and then the British. In mid-1965, after massive popular performances, the Maldives gained independence from Great Britain. In 1968, a new constitution was adopted, and the country acquired the official name - "Maldives Republic".

State flag

The modern version of the main state symbol of the country was adopted in July 1965. The flag of the Maldives is a red cloth with a green rectangle and a white crescent. It has a special symbolic meaning. Red means courage of heroes, who without hesitation defended and will defend their country, sacrificing themselves and shedding blood. The green rectangle symbolizes the nature of the Maldives - coconut palms, which are the source of life for the indigenous population. The White Crescent embodies the religiosity of the Maldives and reflects their commitment to Islam.

Economy of the Republic of Maldives

Now the Maldives Republic is a democratic developing state, with the president at its head. The economy of the country is based on three "whales": tourism, navigation and fishing. Due to the mild climate, rich underwater world and amazingly beautiful coral reefs , crowds of tourists come here. In the open sea tuna fishing is carried out, in the lagoons and near the coasts catching turtles, mining corals, shells and natural pearls.

Official banknotes. Currency exchange

Monetary unit of Maldives is Rufiya. It consists of a hundred lari. One US dollar is approximately equal to a dozen of Ruths. In circulation on the territory of the country there are banknotes of different denominations, including 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 ruffians, and coins - 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 lari. You can exchange currency in any bank, airport or exchange points at the official exchange rate. In remote islands of the capital, the exchange will be difficult, at a fairly unprofitable exchange rate. In general, small bills are required for calculations, so store them in sufficient quantities. Many expensive resorts accept US dollars and euros, as well as credit cards.

Demography

The population of the archipelago is about 400 thousand people. Almost all of them are descendants of immigrants from the Middle East, South, South-East Asia. The state language is called "Divehi", it is a kind of mixture of Arabic, English and Sinhalese. The writing of the local naming is based on the Arabic-Persian schedule. The indigenous population of the islands is Islam (Sunnism). It was brought by the Arabs and spread from the 12th century. And in 1968 Islam was declared the state religion.

The capital of the Republic of Maldives

Currently it is the capital of the Republic of the Maldives Male - a small city located on the adjacent islands of Vilingile and Male. Its area is only 5.8 square meters. Km. The population of Male is about 105 thousand people. To reach the administrative, political and cultural center of the Maldives can be by air or sea, by boats, seaplanes, taxis or high-speed boats cruising between the islands. To view all the sights of Male you can walk along it on foot. When visiting the city, it is desirable to wear things that cover the body well from the neck to the knees. Almost all souvenir shops are located at the northern end of the Chaangdani Magu. Here you can buy Maldives mats made of palm fiber, decorative fishing boats, canned fish and delicious seafood. In general, Male is not rich in sights, although the curious tourist will like the shady park Jumuri-Maidan, the National Museum in Sultans Park, the Islamic Center with the Great Friday Mosque and the chapel Medu Ziyarat.

Climate in the Maldives

The archipelago is dominated by a tropical monsoon climate. The air temperature is high enough throughout the year, has a small amplitude and varies between 26 ° C and 32 ° C. At night, it does not drop below 25 ° C. In winter - from November to March - the north-eastern, warm monsoons predominate. In summer - from June to August - south-western, more humid winds dominate. Often at this time on the islands are small rains. The water temperature varies between 24 ° C and 27 ° C. In the "dry" season from November to early April, the Maldives attracts many tourists from all over the world. Soft, warm climate, comfortable sea temperature, lack of rain and strong winds make the islands so attractive for travelers. It is interesting that the "wet" season of the island of Maldives is visited by a sufficient number of tourists. Despite the increased humidity, a large amount of precipitation and raging winds, the influx of holidaymakers does not subside. The fact is that from mid-April to early November the cost of air tickets, accommodation and meals is significantly reduced, which attracts those who want to save travelers.

Flora and fauna

Famous for the whole world for their amazing diversity of marine fauna and flora of the island of Maldives. The sea is full of amazing corals. Jambs of various exotic fish, turtles, jellyfish, mollusks, sea stars and hedgehogs, moray eels, stingrays attract diving and snorkeling lovers. In the waters of the Maldives, live and predators - sharks with black fins and sharks with white fins, swim here and huge ocean inhabitants - a hammerhead and whale sharks. But they can not be afraid, because they are non-aggressive and almost harmless to divers. To prevent accidents, as well as to preserve the unique flora and fauna in the Maldives, there are strict restrictions on diving. Including it is forbidden to dive to a depth of more than 30 m, it is forbidden to spend more than 60 minutes underwater, each diver needs to have an underwater computer with him, etc. Land fauna and flora are not very diverse. Distributed breadfruit, coconut, banana palms, bamboo on many islands of the Maldives. Atolls - Daalu (Dhaalu) and Fafu - stand out for their lush vegetation. Here, exotic flowers grow: Ernandia Pitcherberry, Hermitage Catapa, etc., there are impenetrable mangroves with huge ferns. There are no large animals in the Maldives, but you can meet a bat or an Indian flying fox. Also on the islands are inhabited by terns, parrots, seagulls, cormorants.

How to get to the archipelago?

The vast majority of tourists get to the Maldives by plane. On the archipelago there is an international airport named after Ibrahim Nasir. It is located on the island of Hulul, 2 km. From the capital. The airport accepts flights from different cities, including Moscow, Vienna, Qatar, Kuala Lumpur, etc. On the official website of the airport you can see all the necessary information, including the arrival time of the aircraft, pick up a suitable transfer and even plan a trip. There is an ATM, a bank, a luggage room on the territory of the airport. You can have a snack or drink coffee in any of the cafes you like. To the left of the exit from the airport building is the pier. From it every 10-15 minutes ferries leave for the capital of the country. The fare varies from 1 to 2 USD, depending on the time of day.

Magnificent resorts. Maldives is a paradise for tourists

On the surrounding atoll resting tourists are delivered on small agile seaplanes or boats. North and South Male, Ari, Baa, Mimu, Laviani, Haa-Alifu, Faafu, Daalu are atolls - the most beautiful resorts in the country, and each of them has its own flavor. In the Maldives, there are more than 120 hotels, which can simultaneously serve about 50 thousand tourists. In general, all hotels have 4 or 5 stars, it is extremely rare to find a hotel with the worst level of service. Also in the Maldives you can live in a magnificent bungalow and enjoy the privacy.

Recreation and entertainment

The beaches of the archipelago are clean, with pleasant white sand. The water is amazingly warm and calm. Maldives offers a respectable vacation, lack of noise and fuss and communication with a unique nature. For fans of active recreation there is a developed infrastructure of sports entertainment. At the resorts you can go on a yacht, canoe, ski, surf and, of course, diving. On the beaches of atolls it is forbidden to drink alcohol, collecting and coral damage, underwater hunting.

It is worth noting that the use of alcoholic beverages is prohibited not only on beaches, but also in any public places, outside the resort zone. Also not allowed to bath topless and in the nude. In addition, it is forbidden to litter on the islands. For any violation of the order will be imposed a serious fine.

Customs in the Maldives

All travelers should familiarize themselves in advance with the list of goods that are allowed to import and export from the country. All the baggage must be inspected by customs officers. The territory of the Maldives Republic is allowed to import cigarettes (200 pcs.), Perfume (125 ml), personal consumption goods. It is not allowed to bring alcohol, pork, sausage, drugs and pornography. A violation of the law is punishable by a fine of 500 USD. Any tourist should remember that the export of wares from the shell of turtles, shells of pearl oysters, black and red corals is strictly prohibited. You can not export from the country and items found in the sea. Be attentive and enjoy your holiday!