The Maldives History
The Maldives, also known as the Republic of Maldives, is an archipelagic republic situated in the Indian Ocean on the Indian subcontinent. It’s roughly 750 kilometers off the Asian continent’s landmass, southwest of Sri Lanka and India. From Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to Addu Atoll in the south (across the Equator), a chain of 26 atolls can be found. The Maldives is one of the world’s most geographically separated sovereign governments, with a land area of 298 square kilometers and a territory that spans approximately 90,000 square kilometers (35,000 square miles) including the water (115 sq mi). With a population of 557,751 people, the Maldives is Asia’s smallest country by land area and second-most populous country. Malé is the capital and most populous city of the Malé archipelago, which was once known as “King’s Island” because of its central location where ancient royal dynasties ruled.