Blog Maldives

The Maldives, a vast island nation in the Indian Ocean, was blessed by the scuba diving gods. The turquoise seas around the islands boast plenty of pelagic species including manta rays, whale sharks and hammerheads. Most dive sites take advantage of the country’s system of channels and pinnacles (kandus and thilas), but you’ll also find quite a few dramatic walls, soft coral reefs and shipwrecks to explore.

Of course, the Maldives is known for its luxurious, over-the-water bungalows. But, for scuba divers, there’s no better way to explore the Maldives than by liveaboard dive safari. The best dive sites in the country are spread out, miles apart in different atolls. If you’re based on one resort island, you may only see one or two of the best sites. On the other hand, a liveaboard provides a week’s worth of epic dives through multiple atolls.

If practically guaranteed sightings of whale sharks and manta rays aren’t enough to convince you, here are some interesting facts about the Maldives to whet your wanderlust.

Maldives Diving Island

Interesting Facts
Of the 1,190 islands in the Maldives, only 200 are inhabited. An additional 80 islands host private, luxury resorts. The rest of the islands are either too small to sustain life or too remote to be practical. Additionally, 99% of the 115 square miles that make up Maldivian territory is water. That’s a lot of potential dive sites to explore!
The Maldives is the flattest country in the world. Its highest point (on Villingili Island) is only 7 feet and 7 inches above sea level, but the average ground level across the country is just 4 feet and 11 inches.
In 2009, the cabinet of the Maldives held an underwater meeting, making the Maldives the first country in the world to place a governmental meeting on scuba. Appropriately, this cabinet meeting highlighted climate change. Many Maldivians fear that as the climate continues to change and sea levels rise, they will soon find themselves underwater.
During medieval times, the Maldives used shells as currency. On many of the country’s coins, you will still see a cowry shell as homage to the money of yesteryears. Too bad we can’t still use shells to pay for our vacations. We’d all be living in the Maldives by now!
The Maldives is the smallest Muslim country in the world. This is a fascinating fact, but do keep in mind that as a Muslim country, modest dress is required while on public lands. In Male and on any other non-private island, women and men should ensure their knees and shoulders are covered at all times. Bikinis are only permitted on liveaboards and private islands.
The word “atoll” is the only English word derived from Dhivehi, the Maldivian language. The original word is atholhu, which translates to “a ring-like formation of coral islands surrounding a lagoon.”
The Maldivian flag is made up of a large red rectangle with a smaller green triangle within. The red is meant to represent the boldness of Maldivian national heroes while the green symbolizes peace and prosperity. A white crescent is centered in the green rectangle to symbolize the Maldives’ link to the Islamic faith.
Ready to dive in? Click here to read more about scuba diving in the Maldives.

If these Indian Ocean islands sound like your paradise, book a Maldivian liveaboard to experience the best diving in the country. Check out our great options for the “eat, sleep, dive” vacation of your dreams. Do note that many liveaboards in the Maldives require a minimum number of previous dives because some dive sites on Maldivian itineraries can be subject to strong or unpredictable currents.

The Maldives is one of the most popular tropical vacation locations and has been recognised by the international tourism community as well. And to top that off, it is quite an interesting place to be, with its unique history, culture, and traditions. Here are some of the most interesting facts about Maldives-

1. An Underwater Cabinet Meeting
Maldives
(Source)
Yes, you heard it right. In 2009, the president of Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed organised the meeting of all cabinet ministers at the sea bed, so as to raise awareness about the dangers the oceans of the world are facing, and how humans are interfering in freshwater resources.

2. Maldives is the Flattest Country in the World
Maldives
(Source)
The Maldives is, without a doubt, the flattest country in the world, with an average altitude of 1.8 metres from the sea level. The closest competitor to this claim is Qatar, with an average elevation of 28 metres. That is 26.2 metres more! The Maldives is truly flat. Actually, the highest point in the entire country is 2.3 metres, which is at a point in Villingili Island.

3. Maldives has a Strict Constitution
According to the constitution of Maldives, only Muslims are allowed to be called citizens of the country. Any other faith apart from Islam is not allowed.

4. The Indian Connection of Maldives
Another interesting fact about Maldives is that it was actually founded by an Indian prince who was sent to exile. Sometime around 270 BC, an Indian prince was sent from the kingdom of Kalinga as a punishment to run over the islands of Maldives. Sri Soorudasaruna Adeettiya is said to be the first king of the island, which was then called Dheeva Maari, and established the Adeetta Dynasty in the Maldives.

5. Maldives has a Different Weekend
Unlike its western counterparts, the country of Maldives does not recognise Saturday and Sunday as the weekend, but Friday and Saturday. So don't be surprised when you see people working on a Sunday.
6. Maldives Base Religion
Maldives
(Source)
Though established by an Indian king, Maldives adopted Islam in 1153 A.D. which now is the official religion of the country. This also means following laws pertaining to Islam. For example, no alcohol is allowed, with an exception to the resorts and clubs.
7. Maldivian Flag
Maldives flag
Source
The Maldivian flag consists of a green rectangle in the middle with a crescent moon on it, enclosed by a red rectangle. The red is representative of the sacrifice of the people who lost their lives protecting the country, the green represents peace and prosperity and the crescent moon represents Islam.

The Maldives, a vast island nation in the Indian Ocean, was blessed by the scuba diving gods. The turquoise seas around the islands boast plenty of pelagic species including manta rays, whale sharks and hammerheads. Most dive sites take advantage of the country’s system of channels and pinnacles (kandus and thilas), but you’ll also find quite a few dramatic walls, soft coral reefs and shipwrecks to explore.

Of course, the Maldives is known for its luxurious, over-the-water bungalows. But, for scuba divers, there’s no better way to explore the Maldives than by liveaboard dive safari. The best dive sites in the country are spread out, miles apart in different atolls. If you’re based on one resort island, you may only see one or two of the best sites. On the other hand, a liveaboard provides a week’s worth of epic dives through multiple atolls.

If practically guaranteed sightings of whale sharks and manta rays aren’t enough to convince you, here are some interesting facts about the Maldives to whet your wanderlust.

Maldives Diving Island

Interesting Facts
Of the 1,190 islands in the Maldives, only 200 are inhabited. An additional 80 islands host private, luxury resorts. The rest of the islands are either too small to sustain life or too remote to be practical. Additionally, 99% of the 115 square miles that make up Maldivian territory is water. That’s a lot of potential dive sites to explore!
The Maldives is the flattest country in the world. Its highest point (on Villingili Island) is only 7 feet and 7 inches above sea level, but the average ground level across the country is just 4 feet and 11 inches.
In 2009, the cabinet of the Maldives held an underwater meeting, making the Maldives the first country in the world to place a governmental meeting on scuba. Appropriately, this cabinet meeting highlighted climate change. Many Maldivians fear that as the climate continues to change and sea levels rise, they will soon find themselves underwater.
During medieval times, the Maldives used shells as currency. On many of the country’s coins, you will still see a cowry shell as homage to the money of yesteryears. Too bad we can’t still use shells to pay for our vacations. We’d all be living in the Maldives by now!
The Maldives is the smallest Muslim country in the world. This is a fascinating fact, but do keep in mind that as a Muslim country, modest dress is required while on public lands. In Male and on any other non-private island, women and men should ensure their knees and shoulders are covered at all times. Bikinis are only permitted on liveaboards and private islands.
The word “atoll” is the only English word derived from Dhivehi, the Maldivian language. The original word is atholhu, which translates to “a ring-like formation of coral islands surrounding a lagoon.”
The Maldivian flag is made up of a large red rectangle with a smaller green triangle within. The red is meant to represent the boldness of Maldivian national heroes while the green symbolizes peace and prosperity. A white crescent is centered in the green rectangle to symbolize the Maldives’ link to the Islamic faith.

The Maldive Islands are a series of coral atolls built up from the crowns of a submerged ancient volcanic mountain range. All the islands are low-lying, none rising to more than 6 feet (1.8 metres) above sea level. Barrier reefs protect the islands from the destructive effects of monsoons. The rainy season, from May to August, is brought by the southwest monsoon; from December to March the northeast monsoon brings dry and mild winds. The average annual temperature varies from 76 to 86 °F (24 to 30 °C). Rainfall averages about 84 inches (2,130 mm) per year. The atolls have sandy beaches, lagoons, and a luxuriant growth of coconut palms, together with breadfruit trees and tropical bushes. Fish abound in the reefs, lagoons, and seas adjoining the islands; sea turtles are caught for food and for their oil, a traditional medicine.

Physical features of Maldives
Physical features of Maldives
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

People
The population of Maldives belongs almost entirely to the Maldivian ethnic group, which is the result of various peoples settling in the islands successively through the country’s history. The first settlers, it is generally believed, were Tamil and Sinhalese peoples from southern India and Sri Lanka. Traders from Arab countries, Malaya, Madagascar, Indonesia, and China visited the islands through the centuries. The official language is an Indo-European language called Dhivehi (or Maldivian); Arabic, Hindi, and English are also spoken. Islam is the state religion.

Maldives, in full Republic of Maldives, also called Maldive Islands, independent island country in the north-central Indian Ocean. It consists of a chain of about 1,200 small coral islands and sandbanks (some 200 of which are inhabited), grouped in clusters, or atolls.

Maldives
Maldives
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Maldives: island resort
Maldives: island resort
Island resort in the Maldives, north-central Indian Ocean.
© Lucian Milasan/Dreamstime.com
The islands extend more than 510 miles (820 km) from north to south and 80 miles (130 km) from east to west. The northernmost atoll is about 370 miles (600 km) south-southwest of the Indian mainland, and the central area, including the capital island of Male (Male’), is about 400 miles (645 km) southwest of Sri Lanka.

Maldives, in full Republic of Maldives, also called Maldive Islands, independent island country in the north-central Indian Ocean