Maldives

Maldives is an archipelagic state in the Indian subcontinent of Asia located in the Indian Ocean. It is located southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about 750 km (470 miles; 400 nautical miles) from the mainland of the Asian continent. The chain of 26 atolls extends (beyond the equator) from Ihabandippol Atoll in the north to Addu Atoll in the south. With an area of ​​298 square kilometers (115 square miles) on all islands, including an area of ​​approximately 90,000 square kilometers (35,000 square miles) including the sea, Maldives is one of the most geographically dispersed sovereign nations in the world. Yes, it is the smallest in Asia. With an area of ​​about 557,751 by country, it is the second least populated country in Asia. Male is the capital and most populous city, traditionally called "Kings Island", and the ancient dynasty dominated its central location.

The Maldives archipelago is located on the Chagos-Raqqadi Bridge, a vast submarine mountain range in the Indian Ocean. It also forms a land ecoregion, along with the Chagos Archipelago and the Lakshadweep Islands. With an average elevation of 1.5 meters (4 feet 11 inches) above sea level and the highest natural point of only 5.1 meters (17 feet), it is the lowest country in the world.

In the 12th century Islam reached the Maldives archipelago. The Maldives archipelago was integrated as a sultan and established strong commercial and cultural ties with Asia and Africa. From the mid-16th century, the region became more influenced by European colonial forces, and in 1887 the Maldives became a British protectorate. Independence from Great Britain began in 1965, and in 1968 the National Assembly was elected and the Presidential Republic was established. Maldives. In the decades that followed, we have seen political instability, democratic reform efforts, and the environmental problems posed by climate change.

Maldives has become a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). He is also a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Non-Aligned Movement. The World Bank classifies the Maldives as having a middle-income economy. Fishing has historically been the dominant economic activity, followed by the fastest growing tourism industry, which remains the largest sector to date. The Maldives rates it as "high" in the Human Development Index, and per capita income is significantly higher than in other SAARC countries.

Maldives was a member of the Commonwealth from July 1982 until his withdrawal from the organization in October 2016, protesting allegations of human rights violations and democracy failures by other countries. The Maldives rejoined the Commonwealth on February 1, 2020, after showing evidence of a working democratic process and public support.