08/07/2022
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.
08/07/2022
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.
03/07/2022
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.
03/07/2022
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.
