Encompassing a territory spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometres, the Maldives is one of the world’s most geographically dispersed countries. It is located southwest of India and Sri Lanka in the Laccadive Sea.

The chain of twenty six atolls stretches from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll to the Addu Atoll. Maldives is the smallest Asian country in both land area and population. The archipelago is located atop the Chagos-Maldives-Laccadive Ridge, a vast submarine mountain range in the Indian Ocean. With an average ground level elevation of 1.5 metres above sea level, it is the planet’s lowest country. It is also the country with the lowest natural highest point in the world, at 2.4 metres. The capital and main city is Malé.

The meaning of capital “Male’” means “the Blood of the fish”. Historically linked with the Indian subcontinent, the Maldivian practices Islam as the religion. From the mid-sixteenth century, it was dominated by colonial powers: Portugal, the Netherlands and Britain. The islands gained independence from the British Empire in 1965. It became a republic in 1968 and is ruled by a president. The administrative form of government is unitary. The Maldivian economy is dominated by tourism and fishing. The country is classified as a low-middle income economy.