About Maldives
Sun, sand and sea, a thousand 'Robinson Crusoe' islands, massive lagoons with different depths and infinite shades of blue and turquoise, dazzling underwater coral gardens; a perfect natural combination for the ideal tropical holiday destination. However there is more to the Maldives than just that.
Geography
The chain of 1190 little coral islands scattered across the Indian Ocean that forms the archipelago of the Maldive islands stretch from the North to South for over 820 kms and from East to West for over 120 kms. In total Maldives covers an area of approximately 90,000km2. Only 1% of this is land with the rest being water. Only 201 islands are inhabited by the local people, and 87 islands are developed exclusively as tourist resorts, while the rest are uninhabited.
Maldives Climate
The summer never ends in the Maldives. Although it is warm throughout the year there are slight variations in the temperature during certain periods determined by the monsoons. The Northeast monsoons, from November to April are mostly dry with very little wind, while the Southwest monsoon from May to October brings some rain and wind. Being on the equator, the monsoons are mild and the temperature varies very little. The annual average daily temperature is between 24degrees Celsius and 33 degrees Celsius. The average rainfall is 2,540 millimeters in the north and 3,810 millimeters in the south.
Maldives History & Culture
Maldives was visited by people from all over the world, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. These visitors left a strong influence on the people, their religion and the culture of the Maldives.
People & Language
The Maldives has a population of about 396,334 (est. 2009). The Maldivians have a beautiful and harmonious blend of features from a mixture of Arabic to African, and Asian. The people live a simple, laid back, and contented life-style. With ready smiles, and always willing to lend a helping hand, the Maldivians are a friendly race and make visitors feel very welcome. Dhivehi, the language of the Maldives, with its strong Arabic influence is as exotic as it sounds. The language with its own script is spoken only in the Maldives.
