Maldivian location. Republic of Maldives. Maldives on a world map. Maldives - the sea. Visa and customs control

Maldives (Republic of Maldives) is a country geographically representing a chain of atolls in the Indian Ocean. To find where the Maldives is located, you need to find India on a map and draw a line from the lowest point of India to the highest point of Madagascar. On this line on the map a little down and to the left of the southern point of India will be the capital of the Maldives Male.

The Maldives stretches for almost 1000 km from north to south. Male is located approximately in the center of this chain.

Relatively close to the Maldives is India and Sri Lanka 600 and 670 km, respectively. But the distance from the Maldives to its closest neighbor in the west of Seychelles is 2230 km. The distance to Mauritius from the Maldives is 3320 km.

Visa to the Maldives

When tourists first get to the Maldives located on the atolls, they hardly understand where the reef is, where are the lagoons, where are the inland waters, where is the ocean. The Maldives is a completely different world, and an effort needs to be made to sort it out.

How the atolls formed in the Maldives

At present, the hypothesis of the development of atolls is as follows. Under all the Maldives and atolls are extinct volcanoes.

In the underwater part of the volcano, coral develops on its slopes. Volcanoes gradually go under water, and corals stretch up. Then the volcano goes completely under water and a lagoon is formed - an inland water body formed over an extinct volcano.

This is a simplified diagram, the Maldives atolls are very complex in structure. Those small atolls on which tourists usually live are located on the edges of a large atoll and have their own shallow lagoons. In the diagram, they are called resort lagoons. Also, hotels or residential settlements are often located on islets that do not have their own lagoons. Islands can be located inside a large lagoon, or on the ring of a large reef. Islands are obtained when the reef grows above the water and a layer of fertile soil is applied to it. Islands become habitable, where they find fresh water.

The reef, which has a pale blue appearance when viewed from above, is under a small layer of water and is often exposed during low tides. In a large lagoon, the depth can reach 20-30 meters, and in shallow lagoons the water will reach the belt even at high tide.

Coral reef at low tide

Coral reef underwater

   In the photo below you see two small atolls. These are atolls formed along the edges of the reef. The island in the photo is called Tilafushi and enters the North Male Atoll.

The same section on Yandex maps allows you to see that Tilafushi island is located on a small atoll, which is part, figuratively, a bead in the necklace of a huge atoll - the North Male Atoll.

The size of the North Male Atoll is 70 by 40 km. 27 islands of this atoll are given to hotels, 8 islands are fishing. Maldivians are forced to crowd on shreds of land. Therefore, their capital is on one island, the airport on another, and fuel is stored on the third.

Hotels in the Maldives are most often located on the principle of one island, one hotel. The islands are very small and many of them are easily walked in an hour. Communication is carried out by boat to hotels near the airport and by seaplane to distant atolls.

Map of Maldives

The diagram for diving clearly shows that the Maldives are located on an underwater ridge, there are many islands inside the atolls. On the right is a detailed map of Maldives.

In the Maldives, according to various estimates, from 1200 to 2000 islands. 1200 - counting islands with vegetation. Of these, 200 islands are officially inhabited. But the reality is much more, since the island islands, which people do not live on permanently, are not included in the 200 inhabited islands. Maldives - this is the kingdom of water. 99.6% of the country is water.

There are about 20 large atolls in the Maldives. There is some confusion - as there are traditional, new names and letter designations for the Maldives atolls. Below the cards is a list of these names. New names are nothing more than the names of letters in the alphabet of divahe. The northernmost atoll has the designation A, and you need to look for it at the top of the map, the southernmost atoll Maldives has the designation S and is located at the bottom of the map.

The names of the atolls in the Maldives

"Maldives" - one name for these islands sounds like some kind of marvelous music, and in the minds of everyone instantly there is a picture of a serene paradise beach. But it seems that many of us are not very sure where exactly are Maldives on the world map. Let me quickly close this small gap :)

The Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean very close to the equator. Almost at the equator. The easiest way to find them on the map is as follows:

• India (Hindustan Peninsula) - slightly lower and to the right (i.e. closer to the equator and east) -
• large island of Sri Lanka - and now to the left (west) -
• Maldives

The Maldives is located 700 kilometers west of Sri Lanka. Maldives - an archipelago that consists of more than twenty atolls. The atoll in the case of the Maldives is a group of small islands of coral origin that form a ring. The islands most likely have a volcanic "history": they suggest that once there were the oldest volcanoes overgrown with coral reefs, and then they gradually flooded the waters of the Indian Ocean.

The coral islands forming the atolls are perfectly visible from the plane: intricate shapes, spots of turquoise lagoons on the blue surface of the ocean.

There are no large, large islands in the Maldives archipelago. Even the airport had to be built on a separate island: on the island of Male, where the capital of the republic is located, it did not fit;) Even the largest islands have a length of no more than two kilometers.

The position of the Maldives on the world map near the equator determines, of course, the climate. It is soft and warm, real tropical. Although the sun in the Maldives is very hot, intolerable forty-degree heat does not happen. Normal temperature +28. On clear days, the sun can be several degrees more. But hardly more than +33. Add to this the fresh breath of the ocean. You may not even feel the heat - but sunburns on the skin - it is necessary if you do not use sun protection! The tropical sun is dangerous, you can easily sunbathe in the water. You will sunbathe even under the clouds in cloudy weather and in the shade under palm trees.

The temperature of air and water practically does not change throughout the year. In the Maldives, the high (approximately from October to April) and low seasons (from May to September) are divided, they differ in that it rains sometimes in the low season, and the sea can be restless. Tour operator sites claim that severe storms and tsunamis are extremely rare in the Maldives. However, for example, the island of Villivaru is now closed for visits, because the hotel that was there was destroyed by the tsunami in 2004. Of course, this is not a reason to refuse a trip, but if you are going fishing or diving in the open ocean, see the weather forecast in advance .

In the Maldives there are no mountains, no hills, no boulders and large stones, here, in fact, there is not even soil (that fertile layer of dark color that we are used to), there is only sand. The highest point of the Maldives is 2.4 meters. If global warming is really coming, if the glaciers are really melting, and the water level in the oceans is rising, then the Maldives will disappear from the world map. And perhaps this will happen in a few decades.

Maldives - this is something truly extraordinary and unforgettable! It is worth visiting at least once in a lifetime! Of course, these are paradise islands, beautiful landscapes, water of absolutely amazing shades, palm trees that bend gracefully to the water, soft snow-white sand, but perhaps the most important miracles are hidden under water here - this is an amazing underwater living world of the Indian Ocean! And now you can definitely find the Maldives on the map, right?)

You may also be interested in: How to relax in the Maldives | Dangers in the Maldives | Alcohol in the Maldives | Photos Maldives - islands and beaches

The Republic of Maldives is the smallest Asian country in the world. It is a collection of islands lost in the middle of the vast Indian Ocean. Every year, land plots are more and more immersed in water and, according to researchers, they will soon face serious flooding.

Because of the water level in the ocean is constantly rising, which may soon lead the islands of the Maldives to disaster. If you want to visit this truly paradise, where time seemed to stop - hurry up! Its pristine beauty will not leave anyone indifferent - snow-white sandy beaches, blue lagoons, evergreen tropical trees will forever remain in the soul of any traveler.

Where on the map of Maldives? The geographical position of the state

Maldives on the world map is difficult to find. This small country is located in the Indian Ocean, south of the Hindustan Peninsula and southwest of the island of Ceylon. Its closest neighbors are India (595 km), Sri Lanka (670 km) and the Chagos archipelago (500 km). You can see the Maldives on the map below.

The Republic of Maldives is a coral archipelago, the length of which from west to east is 130 km, and from north to south - 823 km. It consists of 1196 small islands of allegedly volcanic origin. They form a double chain of 26 atolls - large coral sections of land that look like a rupture ring. The largest and most significant are the South (Nord Niland), Aria-atoll. The distance between the groups varies from 25 to 80 km.

The total land and water reef area of \u200b\u200bthe Maldives is 298 square meters. km., and the total territory along with the water area - 900,000 square meters. km Of the more than 1,100 islands, only 202 are inhabited, with more than 70 of them being first-class tourist resorts.

Historical reference

Very little information has been preserved about the early history of the Republic of Maldives. It is believed that the culture of the Maldives appeared before the 5th century BC. Fragments of ceramics found during excavations suggest that the settlements of redins were founded on the islands already in 2000 BC. In 500 BC on the southern islands appeared 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 sailors reached the islands of the Maldives in 412. Since 1153 - since the adoption of Islam - all the major historical events have been recorded in the history of the Sultanate.

According to numerous testimonies of sailors, for a long time the women were ruled by the Sultana women. Europeans up to the 15th century They 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, Lorenzo de Almeida sailed to the islands, and in 1529 the Parmentier brothers. Since 1558, the Portuguese dominated the islands until a guerrilla war broke out and they were not destroyed. Further, until 1760, the Maldives were under the protection of the French, and from the middle of the 17th century. - the Dutch, and then the British. In the middle of 1965, after the mass rallies, the Maldives gained independence from Great Britain. In 1968, a new constitution was adopted, and the country acquired the official name - "Republic of Maldives."

State flag

The modern version of the country's main state symbol was adopted in July 1965. The Maldives flag is a red flag with a green rectangle and a white crescent. It has a special symbolic meaning. Red color indicates the courage of 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 a source of life for the indigenous population. The white crescent personifies the religiosity of the Maldivians and reflects their commitment to Islam.

Economy of the Maldives

Now the Republic of Maldives is a democratic developing state with a president at its head.

The country's economy is based on three “pillars”: tourism, shipping and fishing. Thanks to the mild climate, rich underwater world and amazingly beautiful coral reefs, crowds of tourists come here. In the open sea, turtles are caught in lagoons and off the coast, corals, shells and natural pearls are caught.

Official banknotes. Currency exchange

The monetary unit of the Maldives is Rufia. It consists of a hundred laari. One US dollar is approximately equal to a dozen rufias. In circulation in the country there are banknotes of various denominations, including 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 rufiyas, as well as coins - 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 lari.

You can exchange currency at any bank, airport or exchange points at the official rate. On islands remote from the capital it will be difficult to exchange, at a rather unfavorable rate. Basically, small bills are required for calculations, so stock them in sufficient quantities. Many expensive resorts accept US dollars and euros, as well as credit cards.

Demography

The population living in the archipelago is approximately 400 thousand people. Almost all of them are descendants of immigrants from the Middle East, South, Southeast Asia. The official language is called "diverhi", it is a kind of mixture of Arabic, English and Sinhala. The writing of the local dialect is based on the Arabic-Persian schedule. The indigenous population of the islands professes Islam (Sunnism). It was brought by the Arabs and spread from the 12th century. And in 1968, Islam was declared the state religion.

Capital of the Republic of Maldives

Currently, the capital of the Republic of Maldives, Male is a small city located on the adjacent islands of Vilingil and Male. Its area is only 5.8 square meters. km The population of Male is approximately 105 thousand people. You can get to the administrative, political and cultural center of the Maldives by air or sea, by boat, seaplane taxi or speedboat cruising between the islands.

You can explore all the sights of Male by walking on it on foot. When visiting the city, it is advisable to wear things that cover the body well from neck to knees. Almost all souvenir shops are located at the northern end of Chaandani Magu. Here you can buy Maldivian mats made of palm fiber, decorative fishing boats, canned fish and amazingly delicious seafood. In general, Male is not rich in attractions, although an inquisitive tourist will like the shady Jumuri-Maidan park, the National Museum in Sultans Park, the Islamic Center with the Great Friday Mosque and the Medu Ziyarat chapel.

Climate in the Maldives

The tropical monsoon climate prevails on the archipelago. All year round, the air temperature is quite high, has a small amplitude and varies between 26 ° C - 32 ° C. At night, it does not fall below 25 ° C. In winter - from November to March - northeastern, warm monsoons prevail. In summer - from June to August - southwestern, more humid winds prevail. Often at this time on the islands it rains lightly. Water temperature varies between 24 ° C - 27 ° C. In the "dry" season from November to early April, the Republic of Maldives attracts many tourists from around the world. The mild, warm climate, comfortable sea temperature, the absence of rain and strong winds make the islands so attractive for travelers.

It is interesting that in the "wet" season of the island of the Maldives, a sufficient number of tourists visit. Despite the high humidity, a large amount of precipitation and raging winds, the influx of vacationers 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 travelers who want to save money.

Flora and fauna

Famous throughout the world for its amazing variety of marine fauna and flora of the island of Maldives. The sea is full of amazing corals. Shoals of a variety of exotic fish, turtles, jellyfish, mollusks, starfish and hedgehogs, moray eels, stingrays, attract diving and snorkeling enthusiasts.

Predators also live in the waters of the Maldives - sharks with black fins and sharks with white fins, and huge ocean inhabitants swim here - hammerhead sharks and whale sharks. But they can not be afraid, because they are non-aggressive and practically harmless to divers. To prevent accidents, as well as to preserve the unique flora and fauna in the Maldives, there are strict restrictions on scuba diving. Including it is forbidden to dive to a depth of more than 30 m, it is forbidden to spend more than 60 minutes under water, each diver must have an underwater computer with him, etc. The land fauna and flora are not very diverse.

Distributed breadfruit, coconut, banana on many islands of the Maldives. Atolls - Daalu (Dhaalu) and Fafu - stand out for their lush vegetation. Exotic flowers grow here: ernandia pitcherina, Yerminalia kappappa, etc., there are impassable 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, sea gulls, cormorants.

How to get to the archipelago?

The vast majority of tourists travel to the Maldives by plane. The archipelago has an international airport named after Ibrahim Nasir. It is located on Hulule Island, 2 km away. from the capital. The airport accepts flights from various cities, including Moscow, Vienna, Qatar, Kuala Lumpur, etc.

On the airport’s official website, you can find all the necessary information, including looking at the time of arrival of the planes, picking up a suitable transfer for yourself and even plan your trip. There is an ATM, a bank, a left-luggage office at the airport. For a bite to eat or a cup of coffee, go to any cafe you like. To the left of the exit from the airport building is a pier. From it every 10-15 minutes ferries leave for the capital of the country. The fare varies between 1-2 USD, depending on the time of day.

Great resorts. Maldives - a paradise for tourists

Vacationers are delivered to the surrounding atolls by small agile seaplanes or boats. North and South Male, Ari, Baa, Miimu, Laviani, Haa Alifu, Faafu, Daalu atolls are the most beautiful resorts in the country, and each of them has its own zest.

In the Maldives, there are more than 120 hotels that can simultaneously serve about 50 thousand tourists. Basically, 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 settle in a magnificent bungalow and enjoy the privacy.

Recreation and entertainment

The beaches of the archipelago are clean, with pleasant white sand. Water is amazingly warm and calm. Maldives offers a respectable vacation, the absence of noise and fuss, and communication with a unique nature. For outdoor enthusiasts, there is a developed infrastructure of sports entertainment. At the resorts you can go sailing, canoeing, skiing, surfing and, of course, diving. On the beaches of the atolls, drinking alcohol, collecting and damaging corals, and spearfishing is prohibited.

It is worth noting that the use of alcoholic beverages is prohibited not only on the beaches, but also in any public places, outside the resort area. Also, topless and nude swimming is not permitted. In addition, littering is prohibited on the islands. Any violation of the order will be severely fined.

Customs in the Maldives

All travelers should familiarize themselves with the list of goods that are allowed to import and export from the country. All baggage must be inspected by customs officers. It is allowed to import cigarettes (200 pcs.), Perfume (125 ml), and consumer goods into the territory of the Republic of Maldives. It is not allowed to bring alcohol, pork, sausage, drugs and pornography. For attempting to violate the law, a fine of 500 USD is imposed. 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 careful and enjoy your stay!

Republic of Maldives - an island nation in Indian ocean.

The archipelago of the Maldives is located at the junction of the Arabian and Laccadive Sea, five hundred kilometers southwest of the southern tip of the Hindustan Peninsula. A detailed map of the Maldives shows that the country occupies 27 atoll formations, consisting of 1,192 separate coral islands.

Maldives cannot boast of large sizes. The largest is the island of Gan, but its area is less than 10 km 2. Most islands of the archipelago do not exceed several hundred square meters.

Maldives on the world map: geography, nature and climate

If you look at the Maldives on a world map, you can see that the equator line crosses the southern part of the country. Although the length of the archipelago is about 750 km from north to south and 130 km from west to east, the total area of \u200b\u200bits islands is only 298 km 2. Atolls of the Maldives can occupy hundreds of km 2, but are ring-shaped in shape. And most of the large islands are located on the outer sides of the atoll rings.

The coastline of the Maldives is 644 km. Due to its remoteness from the coast of the continent, the country has neither land nor sea neighbors.

Geographical position

The Maldives are the peaks of the underwater Chagos-Lakkadivsky ridge, which stretches for almost 2500 km. However, the Maldives is not represented by volcanic rocks. All islands of the archipelago consist of sand and coral formations. Therefore, the Maldives state is considered the lowest state of the planet.

The highest point of the country is located on the island of Gan and is only 2.4 meters above sea level. Most of the archipelago is uninhabited. Only about 200 islands are inhabited. Due to the great length of the Maldives, there are several large straits dividing the groups of atolls. On the map of the Maldives in Russian, you can find the largest of them - the equatorial strait. Its width is about 95 km, and the depth exceeds 2500 m.

Animal and plant world

Due to the small size of the islands and the dense population of the largest of them, the terrestrial flora and fauna of the archipelago is not rich. Several species of palm trees and rare mangroves are all that the Maldives can boast of. The fauna of the islands also does not shine with diversity - Achatina, hermit crabs, gray herons and flying foxes. But the underwater world of the country is incommensurably richer.

Hundreds of giant living coral ecosystems contain about 200 species of coral, more than 1000 species of fish, 250 species of crustaceans and up to five hundred species of mollusks and echinoderms. Also, the local fauna boasts two dozen species of various whales and dolphins. The straits between the atolls are abundantly populated by plankton.

Climate

The subequatorial climate of the Maldives is formed by seasonal northeastern monsoons. The average temperature throughout the year is approximately the same - from 23-30 ° C. Although there are no clearly defined seasons in the country, spring is somewhat hotter and drier. With the advent of monsoons, temperature and humidity increase slightly. The average rainfall is about 2000 mm per year.

Map of Maldives with cities. Administrative division of the country

Maldives is divided into 21 administrative units. Together they form 8 regions formed by the principle of geographical proximity. The population of the country is about 405,000 people. A map of the Maldives with cities in Russian shows that with a small area, this makes the Maldives one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The average population density here is 1,135 people per km 2.

Male - The capital and largest city of the country. Located in central Maldives. Almost a quarter of the population of the archipelago lives here. Included in the list of the most densely populated cities in the world and covers the entire territory of the island of the same name, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich does not exceed 6 km 2.

Kuramati Island   located 50 km west of the capital. Despite its small size, the island is the most popular tourist center of the country.

Eidhafushi   - One of the largest inhabited islands of the Maldives. Located in the northern part of the archipelago 100 km northwest of Male. Remarkable at an absolute height of 0 meters above sea level.

This question is asked by those who have already bought the long-awaited or are just going to look for tickets and get ready for the trip. Everyone heard about this amazing resort, a leader among the giants of beach holidays, and probably more than once saw photos from the best beaches and hotels. The Maldives is at 8.5 hours summer direct flight Moscow - Male. This island state is located in South Asia in the middle of the Indian Ocean at the equator. It is this geographical location of the Maldives and the equatorial climate that provides excellent weather for a beach holiday all year round in any season.

To choose the best hotel, it is worthwhile to understand where the Maldives is located, where the capital of Male and the international airport are located, and where you have to go to relax. I hope I have already convinced you of the importance of understanding the geographical location of the Maldives? Then go!

The geography of the Maldives is so interesting that when you start to study it, you immediately understand why the widespread "loss" of the Maldives is not accidental. They are so small that they really are practically not visible on the geographical map. And many people often do not know what the Maldives is. Some of them, in all seriousness, think that this is not a whole country, but one small island (for example, as part of Chile) with magnificent beaches and hotels.

Where is Male

Male   (Male) is the capital of the Republic of Maldives. Male is located in the very center of the country on a rather large and densely populated island. It is part of the North Male Atoll (Kaafu). Thousands of tourists daily fly to the Maldives at Male International Airport (its code is MLE), located on the neighboring island of Hulul, the capital.

Good to know:

• Cheap flights to Male see by link →
• Ready tour to the Maldives can be found on the website

Male city Is the financial, administrative and transport center of the Maldives. Here are many significant cultural attractions, modern hospitals, shops, restaurants, banks and the post office.

Male Island   It is connected with many inhabited islands in the Maldives by various means of transport - ferry services, speed boats and local air flights on conventional airplanes and hydroplanes.

Male on a world map

Where are the Maldives Resorts

Not all islands in the Maldives are inhabited. Of the nearly 1,200 individual islands, only about 200 are inhabited or resorted to. The Maldives are located both south and north of the capital Male. Some of them can be reached by speed boat or by ferry, while others are so far away that tourists fly to them either by seaplane (air taxi) or by regular domestic flights.

If you have already chosen your hotel, then on the map of the atolls you can understand where it is located approximately (see map). And for those who still choose, it will be interesting to keep in mind:

• The Maldives resort island closest to the airport is the famous hotel Kurumba   . It is very popular among Russian tourists, and for good reason, because the rest there, judging by the reviews, is simply magnificent!
• The farthest island in the south where the local population lives is Gun   (Addou Atoll). Maldivian Airlines fly there from Male. Near the island of Gan is a magnificent resort at the equator. Who did not dream to relax right in the sun? In the Maldives there is such an opportunity. Look at Villingili Island Shangri-la.
• The most remote resort from the capital in the Maldives is located in the north of the Maldives archipelago on the island of Manafaru: Ja manafaru

The farthest island in the Maldives - Manafaru

Summing up my article, I hope that now you know exactly where the Maldives is located and what special geographical features are peculiar to this country. Therefore, when you are planning to relax in the Maldives, you will definitely know where you are flying, and you won’t get lost!