Maldives

Geography: The Republic of Maldives is a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean about 417 mi (671 km) southwest of Sri Lanka. Its 1,190 coral islets stretch over an area of 35,200 sq mi (90,000 sq km). With global warming and the shrinking of the polar ice caps, the Maldives is directly threatened, as none of its islands rises more than six feet above sea level.

Government: Republic.

History :The Maldives (formerly called the Maldive Islands) were first settled in the 5th century B.C. by Buddhist seafarers from India and Sri Lanka. According to tradition, Islam was adopted in 1153. Originally, the islands were under the suzerainty of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). They came under British protection in 1887 and were a dependency of then-colony Ceylon until 1948. An independence agreement with Britain was signed July 26, 1965. For centuries a sultanate, the islands adopted a republican form of government in 1952, but the sultanate was restored in 1954. In 1968, however, as the result of a referendum, a republic was again established in the recently independent country. Ibrahim Nasir, the authoritarian president since 1968, was removed from office and replaced by the more progressive Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in 1978. Gayoom was elected to a sixth five-year term in 2003

Capital: Malé, National name: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa Languages: Maldivian Dhivehi (official); English spoken by most government officials Ethnicity/race: South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs Religion: Islam (Sunni) National Holiday: Independence Day, July 26 Literacy rate: 98.4% (2006 est.) Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $3.073 billion; per capita $9,100. Real growth rate: 3.5%. Inflation:5.1%. Unemployment: 28% (2012 est.). Arable land: 10%. Agriculture: coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish. Labor force: 159,700 (2012); agriculture 15%, industry 15%, services 70% (2010). Industries: tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining. Natural resource: fish. Exports: $283 million (2012 est.). Imports: $1.406 billion (2012 est.) Major trading partners: Thailand, Sri Lanka, France, UK, US, Singapore, UAE, India, Malaysia, China, Germany, Italy (2012). Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 23,140 (2012); mobile cellular: 560,000 (2012). Broadcast media: state-owned radio and TV monopoly until recently; state-owned TV operates 2 channels; 3 privately owned TV stations; state owns Voice of Maldives and operates both an entertainment and a music-based station; 5 privately owned radio stations (2012). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 3,296 (2012). Internet users: 86,400 (2009). Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 88 km. Ports and harbors: Malé. Airports: 9 (2013). International disputes: none.

राजधानी: माले,

मालदीव या मालदीव द्वीप समूह, आधिकारिक तौर पर मालदीव गणराज्य, हिंद महासागर में स्थित एक द्वीप देश है, जो मिनिकॉय आईलेंड और चागोस अर्किपेलेगो के बीच 26 प्रवाल द्वीपों की एक दोहरी चेन, जिसका फेलाव भारत के लक्षद्वीप टापू की उत्तर-दक्षिण दिशा में है, से बना है। यह लक्षद्वीप सागर में स्थित है, श्री लंका की दक्षिण-पश्चिमी दिशा से करीब सात सौ किलोमीटर (435 mi) पर.मालदीव के प्रवाल द्वीप लगभग 90,000 वर्ग किलोमीटर में फेला क्षेत्र सम्मिलित करते हैं, जो इसे दुनिया के सबसे पृथक देशों में से एक बनाता है। इसमें 1,192 टापू हैं, जिसमें से 200 पर बस्ती है।^[5]मालदीव गणराज्य की राजधानी और सबसे बड़ा शहर है माले, जिसकी आबादी 103,693 (2006) है। यह काफू प्रवाल द्वीप में, उत्तर माँले प्रवाल द्वीप के दक्षिणी किनारे पर स्थित है। यह मालदीव का एकप्रशासकीय विभाग भी है। पारंपरिक रूप से यह राजा का द्वीप था, जहां से प्राचीन मालदीव राजकीय राजवंश शासन करते थे और जहाँ उनका महल स्थित था।मालदीव जनसंख्या और क्षेत्र, दोनों ही प्रकार से एशिया का सबसे छोटा देश है। समुद्र तल से ऊपर, एक औसत 1.5 मीटर (4 फ़ुट 11 इंच) जमीनी स्तर के साथ यह ग्रह का सबसे लघुतम देश है। यह दुनिया का सबसे लघुतम उच्चतम बिंदु वाला देश है।2.3 मीटर (7 फ़ुट 7 इंच)।