The Maldives Republic is the smallest in the world.world is an Asian country. It is a collection of islands, lost in the midst of the boundless Indian Ocean. Every year, land plots are increasingly submerged in water and, according to researchers, they are soon threatened with serious flooding.
Because of melting glaciers, the water level in the oceanconstantly rises, which may 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 quite difficult to find.This small country is located in the Indian Ocean, to the south of the Hindustan Peninsula and to the south-west 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 Republic of Maldives is acoral archipelago, the length of which from west to east is 130 km, and from north to south - 823 km. It consists of 1,196 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 South 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.
Total area of land and surface reefs Maldivesis 298 square meters. 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Historical reference
On the early history of the Republic of Maldivesvery little information was saved. It is believed that the culture of the Maldives appeared before the V century BC. Fragments of ceramics found during excavations, suggested 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 about. 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 Maldives Islands 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 testimoniesseafarers, for a long time the islands were ruled by female sultans. Europeans until 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, the islands were dominated by the Portuguese, 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 mid-17th century onwards, - Dutch, and then the British. In mid-1965, after massive popular speeches, the Maldives gained independence from 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 statesymbol 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 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 not far from the coast, turtles are caught, corals, shells and natural pearls are mined.
Official banknotes. Currency exchange
Monetary unit of the Maldives is Rufiya.It consists of a hundred lari. One US dollar is approximately equal to a dozen Ruths. In circulation on the territory of the country there are banknotes of different denominations, including 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 Ruths, as well as coins - 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 lari.
You can exchange currency in any bank, airportor points of exchange at the official exchange rate. In remote islands of the capital, the exchange will be difficult, at a rather unprofitable exchange rate. In general, small bills are required for calculations, so store them in sufficient quantity. Many expensive resorts accept US dollars and euros, as well as credit cards.
Demography
Number of people living in the territoryThe archipelago is approximately 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
At present it is the capital of the republicMaldives Male is a small town located on the adjacent islets 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 canwalking along it on foot. When visiting the city it is desirable to put on things that cover the body well from the neck to the knees. Almost all souvenir shops are located at the northern end of Chaangdani Magu. Here you can buy Maldives made from 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 Jumuri-Maidan Park, 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 the tropical monsoonclimate. The air temperature is quite high all year round, has a small amplitude and varies within 26 ° C - 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-west, more humid winds prevail. 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. The soft, warm climate, comfortable sea temperature, lack of rain and strong winds make the islands so attractive for travelers.
It is interesting that in the "wet" season of the islandMaldives 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 with their amazinga variety 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, morays, 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 pitcher, Hermanius catappa, 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 live terns, parrots, seagulls, cormorants.
How to get to the archipelago?
The vast majority of tourists get toThe Maldives on the 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.
The official website of the airport is availablewith all the necessary information, including the arrival time of the aircraft, pick up a suitable transfer and even plan a trip. On the territory of the airport there are ATMs, a bank, a luggage room. 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
The surrounding atolls of holidaymakers are delivered tosmall 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, each of which has its own flavor.
In 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
Beaches of the archipelago - the purest, with a pleasant whitesand. 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 should be noted that the use of alcoholdrinks are 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 check in advancewith a 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 Republic of Maldives is allowed to import cigarettes (200 pcs.), Perfume (125 ml), personal consumption goods. It is not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages, pork, sausage, drugs and pornography. A attempt to violate the law is subject to a fine of 500 USD. Any tourist should remember that the export of products 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!
