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Introduction

Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is an archipelagic country in South Asia, located in the eastern Arabian Sea, within the northern Indian Ocean. Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about 750 kilometres (470 miles; 400 nautical miles) from the Asian continent's mainland. Maldives' chain of 26 atolls stretches across the equator from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to Addu Atoll in the south.

Malé is the capital and the most populated city, traditionally called the "King's Island", where the ancient royal dynasties ruled from its central location. Maldives has been inhabited for over 2,500 years. Documented contact with the outside world began around 947 AD when Arab travellers began visiting the islands. In the 12th century, partly due to the importance of the Arabs and Persians as traders in the Indian Ocean, Islam reached the Maldivian Archipelago. Maldives was soon consolidated as a sultanate, developing strong commercial and cultural ties with Asia and Africa. From the mid-16th century, the region came under the increasing influence of European colonial powers, with Maldives becoming a British protectorate in 1887. Independence from the United Kingdom came in 1965, and a presidential republic was established in 1968 with an elected People's Majlis. The ensuing decades have seen political instability, efforts at democratic reform, and environmental challenges posed by climate change and rising sea levels. Maldives became a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Fishing has historically been the dominant economic activity, and remains the second largest sector, behind the rapidly growing tourism industry. Maldives rates "high" on the Human Development Index, with a per capita income significantly higher than other SAARC nations. The World Bank classifies Maldives as having an upper-middle income economy. (Full article...)

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A constitutional referendum was held in the Maldives on 15 March 1968. The main question was whether to convert the state from a constitutional monarchy under Sultan Muhammad Fareed Didi to a presidential republic. The referendum was the third on the subject; the first in 1952 had seen the state convert to a presidential system, whilst a second in 1953 reversed the decision and saw the monarchy restored in 1954.

The proposals were approved by over 80% of voters, and a republic was declared on 11 November that year. Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir would become president. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from Maldives-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Malé harbour (from Maldives)
Image 217th-century Portuguese drawing of the fortress of Maldives and the archipelago. In Antonio Bocarro's book of Fortress (1632) (from Maldives)
Image 3Masroshi. Maldivian savoury snacks (from Culture of the Maldives)
Image 418th-century map by Pierre Mortier of the Netherlands depicting, with detail, the islands of the Maldives (from History of the Maldives)
Image 5A plaque in Hukuru Mosque, Malé, Maldives, placed by Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar on which Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari's name is written; his last name can also be read as "at-Tabrizi" instead of "al-Barbari" (from History of the Maldives)
Image 6Dark clouds bringing heavy rain, common in the rainy season (from Maldives)
Image 7Yameen in 2014 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 8President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih congratulates Mohamed Nasheed Speaker of the People's Majlis in May 2019 (from Maldives)
Image 9Map from the 1662 Tabula Indiae orientalis by Frederik de Wit (from History of the Maldives)
Image 1017th SAARC summit in Addu City, Maldives (from Maldives)
Image 11A beach of Bathala island (from Maldives)
Image 12The tsunami that struck Malé on 26 December 2004; photo taken by Sofwathulla Mohamed while standing on his doorstep; his apartment was entirely washed out, damaging all his belongings (from History of the Maldives)
Image 1318th-century map by Pierre Mortier from the Netherlands, depicting with detail the islands of Maldives (from Maldives)
Image 14Solih in November 2023 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 15Protesters in Malé in August 2004 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 16Sign outside the Velana International Airport (from Maldives)
Image 17An RAF Short Sunderland moored in the lagoon at Addu Atoll, during WWII (from Maldives)
Image 18The wreck of the Corbin, 1865 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 19Filitheyo island beach with tall palm trees and blue fresh lagoons (from Maldives)
Image 20Seaplane Terminal (from Maldives)
Image 21Maldives against Bangladesh at the 2021 SAFF Championship. (from Maldives)
Image 22Life expectancy in Maldives (from Maldives)
Image 23Copy of a magical drawing. Diguvando. Fuvahmulah. (from Culture of the Maldives)
Image 24Isdhoo Lōmāfānu is the oldest copper plate book to have been discovered in the Maldives to date; the book was written in 1194 A.D., in the Evēla form of the Divehi akuru, during the reign of Siri Fennaadheettha Mahaa Radun (Dhinei Kalaminja) (from History of the Maldives)
Image 251742 drawing of cowry shells (from History of the Maldives)
Image 26Mohamed Waheed Hassan (from History of the Maldives)
Image 27The resort island of Landaa Giraavaru (Baa atoll) (from Maldives)
Image 28Velana International Airport (from Maldives)
Image 29Flyboarding in Maldives (from Maldives)
Image 30A selection of traditional Maldivian oarblade patterns (from Culture of the Maldives)
Image 311753 Van Keulen map of Huvadu Atoll (inaccurate) (from History of the Maldives)
Image 32The Buddhist stupa at Kuruhinna in Gan Island (Haddhunmathi Atoll), western side (from History of the Maldives)
Image 331920 British map of the Maldives (from History of the Maldives)
Image 34Malé Friday Mosque minaret (1981) (from History of the Maldives)
Image 35Thaana script (from Maldives)
Image 36Building set on fire in Malé during the September 2003 protests (from History of the Maldives)
Image 37Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, President of the Maldives (1978–2008) (from History of the Maldives)
Image 38Maahefun Festival in Fuvahmulah (from Maldives)
Image 39Isdhoo Lōmāfānu is the oldest copper-plate book to have been discovered in Maldives to date. The book was written in 1194 CE (590 AH) in the Evēla form of the Divehi akuru, during the reign of Siri Fennaadheettha Mahaa Radun (Dhinei Kalaminja). (from Maldives)
Image 40Maldivian soldiers at a presidential address in February 2024 (from Maldives)
Image 41Muizzu in January 2024 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 421753 Van Keulen map of Ari Atoll (from History of the Maldives)
Image 43Flag of the Sultan of Maldives (from Maldives)
Image 44Maldives soft coral (from Maldives)
Image 451598 Bertius map of the Maldives, issued in Middelburg, Netherlands (from History of the Maldives)
Image 46Maalhosmadulu Atoll seen from space. Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll and Southern Maalhosmadulu Atoll can be seen in this picture. (from Maldives)
Image 47Oriental sweetlips (Plectorhinchus vittatus) at Meeru Island, North Male Atoll (from Maldives)
Image 4816th-century Portuguese illustration from the Códice Casanatense, depicting workers (from Maldives)
Image 49Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir signs independence agreement with the British on July 26, 1965. (from Maldives)
Image 50Portuguese presence in Maldives was established in 1558, by order of Constantino of Braganza, Viceroy of Portuguese India. (from Maldives)
Image 51Protesters in Malé in August 2005 (from History of the Maldives)
Image 52A demonstration (Muzhaahira) in Fua Mulaku in support of the government (1981) (from History of the Maldives)
Image 53Each administrative atoll is marked, along with the thaana letter used to identify the atoll. Natural atolls are labelled in light blue. (from Maldives)
Image 54Butorides striata in Maldives (from Maldives)
Image 55A mechanised traditional inter-island dhoni stripped of its sails (from Maldives)
Image 56A boy sandboarding in Fuvahmulah, Maldives (from Culture of the Maldives)

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Selected biography

Aishath Lahfa (born 21 November 1997) is a Maldivian film actress. Before pursuing a career in acting, Lahfa was an active TikTok user, which won her recognition as a performer. She made her acting debut in the web series Girlfriends (2021) and continued playing main roles in several other web series including four-part anthology crime web series Mazloom (2021–2022), family romantic dramas Rimsha (2022) and Yasna (2022). In 2023, she made her first appearance in a feature film with the horror film Kalhaki. (Full article...)

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This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

The Maldives competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, from 25 July to 9 August 1992. The delegation's participation in the Barcelona Olympics marked the Maldives' second appearance at the Summer Olympics since their debut at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Seven athletes competed across two sports; Ahmed Shageef, Mohamed Amir, Hussain Riyaz, Hussein Haleem and Aminath Rishtha in track and field, and Ahmed Imthiyaz and Mohamed Rasheed in swimming. None of the track or swimming athletes advanced past the first round in their events, and no Maldivian has won a medal in any events. (Full article...)

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... that Ithaa in Maldives is the world's first and only underwater restaurant?
... that Fathimath Dheema Ali is the first Olympic qualifier from the Maldives?
... that the minaret adjoining the Malé Friday Mosque has a wide base like a ship's funnel and resembles a wedding cake?
... that after being shipwrecked on Malé Atoll in 1973, Tony Hussein Hinde pioneered surfing in the Maldives, which was previously unknown in the country?
... that Indo-Maldivian relations grew stronger after India responded to Maldives' request for help and thwarted a militant plot to overthrow the government in 1988?

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Addu Atoll seen from space. Gan lies at the end of the continuous reef fringing Addu from the west and southwest

Gan (Dhivehi: ގަން) is the southernmost island of Addu Atoll (also known as Seenu Atoll), as well as the southernmost island of the Maldives. It is relatively large by Maldive standards. (Full article...)

List of selected islands