Maldives
- Facts And Figures
Location: South West of Sri Lanka, on the equator.
Geography: Formed above peaks emerging from the depths
of the ocean, upon layers of both living and dead coral,
and remnants of other marine life, most of the islands
are covered with dense tropical vegetation. Coconut palms
towering above dense shrubs and hardy plants protecting
the shores from erosion are natural features on most islands.
The smaller islands and sandbanks under formation are
also wonders in themselves. They embody living entities
in various stages of formation, as interdependent elements
in an ecosystem, a food chain where birds, fish, and other
marine life co-exist.
Humans form the apex, as caretakers.
Out of a total of 1190 islands, 200 are inhabited, 88
are set aside for exclusive tourist resort development.
Measuring
820 kilometers north to south and 120 kilometers east
to west at its greatest width, the closest neighbors are
India
and Sri Lanka.
Climate: Generally warm and humid, sun shines all
year through. Average temperature around 29º - 32º degrees
Celsius.
What to wear: Dress
is generally casual. T-shirts and cotton clothing are
most suitable. In Male', the capital island, and in other
inhabited islands it is recommended that women wear modest
clothing without revealing too much.
Population: About a 0.3 million according to the 1997
estimate. The origins of the Maldivians are lost in antiquity,
but
history reveals that the islands have been populated for
more than 5,000 years. According to some observers, sun
worshippers who explored the world in reed ships discovered
the islands.
Culture: A proud history and rich culture evolved
from the time of the first settlers who were from various
parts of the
world, traveling the seas in ancient times. The Maldives
has been a melting pot of different cultures as people
from
different parts of the world came here and settled down.
Some of the local music and dance for instance resemble
African influences, with hand beating of drums and songs
in a language unknown to any but certainly represents
that of
East African countries. As one would expect there is a
great South Asian influence in some of the music and dancing
and especially in the traditional food of the Maldivians.
However many of the South Asian customs especially with
regard to
women - for instance the Indian tradition of secluding
women from public view - are not tenets of life here.
In fact women
play a major role in society - not surprising considering
the fact men spend the whole day out at sea fishing. Many
of the traditions are strongly related to the seas and
the fact that life is dependent on the seas around them.
Language: ‘Dhivehi’ is the native language of the
Maldives. However English is widely spoken throughout
the country
and in the resorts, a variety of languages including English,
German, Italian, French and Japanese are spoken by the
staff.
History
According to folklore, the Maldives was first
colonized by an Indo-Aryan race between the 4th and the
5th centuries BC. However it is certain that early
settlers came via Sri Lanka and practiced age-old Buddhist
customs.
The conversion to Islam took place in 1153. Legend tells
us that during this time a demon rose from the depths
of the
ocean once every month and demanded a virgin girl to be
sacrificed. A pious Moroccan saint, Abu al-Barakat, who
visited Maldives at that time learned of the story and
exorcised the demon by reading verses from the Quran.
The event led the
King at the time to embrace Islam.
The country has remained independent except for short
periods of time, the longest being the 17-year Portuguese
rule
in the 16th century. It is said that the sea grew red
with Muslim blood as the invaders tried to enforce their
Christian
beliefs upon the islanders. In 1573, Mohammed Thakurufaanu,
the greatest Maldivian hero, led a band of men into
Male’ harbor and in the pitch darkness of the night searched
for and slaughtered the enemy. In 1782 the Malabars from
the East Coast of India attacked the Maldives destroying
the palace and driving the Sultan into exile. Their rule
was
short-lived. Within months the people became resistant
and a group led by Ghaazee Hassan Izzuddeen fought against
the enemy forces and defeated them.
In 1887 the Maldives became a British protectorate. However,
the British never interfered with the internal politics
of the country. In 1965 the country became a fully independent
state and in 1968 a Republic was declared.
Weather
The Maldivian climate is perfect for sun lovers
The climate of Maldives is warm year round, determined
by the monsoons. However, being on the equator, the monsoons
are mild and not as defined as in neighboring countries.
Of the two monsoons, the southwest monsoon from May to
October brings some rain and wind. The northeast monsoon
from November to April is the dry season with very little
wind. The temperature varies little with an annual average
daily maximum of 30.4º degrees Celsius and a minimum of
25.9º Celsius.
Language - Dhivehi
The language of the Maldivians is Dhivehi and displays
much resemblance to several other languages from Sri Lanka,
South East Asia and North India. It contains many Arabic,
Hindi and English words.
Historically speaking the early people spoke 'Elu” a form
of ancient Sinhalese. The language had undergone many
transformations and the present day Dhivehi is written
from left to right, probably to incorporate many of the
Arabic
words used. Modern ‘Thaana’ script was invented in the
16th century following the overthrow of Portuguese. The
earliest Dhivehi is inscribed on copper plates known as
the 'Loamaafaanu'. The script is written with letters
and vowels separately
on top or below the letters, depending on the sound.
Dhivehi is used equivocally in the administration of the
country. Until the 1960s, Dhivehi was also the medium
of teaching
in all schools, but with the need for further education,
Dhivehi medium syllabuses gave way to English medium teaching.
For this reason, English is widely understood, spoken
and written by the locals.
Protecting the Environment
Fragile Beauty White
sandy beaches sparkling in the sun alongside crystal
clear lagoons offer an idyllic place to spend a perfect
holiday. While this is true in most aspects, the degree
of fragility of the islands environment is gaining much
attention at national and international levels. The
fragile marine and terrestrial environments, including
the reefs
and their bio-diversity, will be greatly affected without
careful management of the environment. Such awareness
has brought many concerns to light, and the Government
is taking extensive measures towards protecting the
environment.
The whole capital island is enclosed within sea walls,
a protection measure to reduce the impending hazards of
climatic
change and sea level rise.
In 1989 the first National Environmental Action Plan was
developed forming a base for future actions to prevent
environmental hazards.
Protected Marine Areas
Steps have been taken to avoid over-exploitation of natural
resources. Protected Marine Areas were established in
1995.
This was the first step in protecting these areas from
the detrimental effects of over-fishing, coral mining,
anchor damage
and rubbish. The killing of turtles, which are under threat
of extinction, is banned and the export of turtle shells
and
products made of turtle shell is prohibited. Many other
marine species are similarly protected.
Sport fishing practiced by some islands is now confined
to the tag and release method.
Meetings and Conferences
The Maldives was proud to host a ministerial level meeting,
Small States Conference on Sea Level Rise, in 1989 calling
for various actions to be incorporated in the Male’ Declaration.
The Maldives also participated in the Second World Climatic
Conference in 1990 and the Earth Summit held in Rio de
Janeiro in 1992. In 1994 the Maldives participated in
the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of
Small Island Developing States and in 1997 participated
in the Kyoto Conference. Also in 1997 the 13th Intergovernmental
Panel on Climatic Change was held in the Maldives.
Maldives’ approach to environmental issues as with many
other small states stays in harmony with the concept
'Think globally and act locally'
Maldives – Atoll Formations
The atolls of the Maldives are formed from coral structures,
separated by lagoons. The atolls are in fact part of a
greater structure known as the Laccadives-Chagos Ridge,
which stretches over 2000 kilometers. The islands are
low lying with the highest point at approximately 8 feet
above sea level. 'Faru' or ring-shaped reef structures
form the atolls and these reefs provide natural defense
against wind and wave action, on these delicate islands.
Out of the 26 naturally formed atolls, the largest atoll
is the Huvadhoo Atoll, one of the largest in the world
with a
lagoon covering an area of 864 square miles. Out of the
1,190 islands, the largest island is the Fua Mulaku Island,
which is two miles long and one mile wide.
The word "atoll" is a word in the English language
that the Oxford Dictionary has extracted from the Maldivian
language.
This certainly is an indication of just how perfect the
Maldivian atoll formations are.
The famous English geologist, Charles Darwin, best describes
atoll formation. His theory is based on volcanic subsidence.
As the volcano subsides into the sea, small fringing reefs
start developing around it. In time the fringing reef
develops
and further subsidence increases reef formation. The fringing
reef later develops into a larger barrier reef. Eventually
when the volcano subsides completely, rings of reefs will
be seen around the atoll leaving a lagoon in the middle.
Thus an atoll is formed. |
