National Flag:

National Emblem:

Official Name:

English:

Republic of Maldives

Dhivehi:

Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyya

Conventional Short name:

English:

The Maldives

Dhivehi:

Raajje

Pronounced as:

Data Code:   

MV

Peak Season:

November through April is the peak season of tourists arriving in the country and hence reservations should be made well in advance if you are planning to travel during this period. From May to October the costs of accommodation is comparatively lower as there are relatively fewer tourist traffic during this period.

Clothing:

Dress is generally casual – T-shirts and other light cotton clots are the most suitable. Nudity is forbidden in all areas and modest clothing of non-diaphanous material (especially for women) is recommended when visiting the capital Malé and other inhabited islands.

People:

Nationality:

Maldivian

Population:

270,101 (male = 137, 200; female = 132,901)

Religion:

Sunni Muslim (100%)

Language:

Dhivehi – a language with its very own unique orthography and spoken exclusively by Maldivians
English is used widely in commerce and education
Many of the personnel employed in the tourism sector are also competent in Italian, French, Spanish, German and Japanese.

Government:

Type:

Republic

Gained Independence on:

July 26, 1965 (was a British Protectorate for 68 years prior to that)

Health Care:

The Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Malé is the biggest hospital in the country and provides sophisticated medical care. ADK Hospital (in Malé) is the biggest private health care facility which also follows high medical standards. Some resorts have in-house doctors. Also, a decompression chamber is within easy reach of most resorts in case of a diving emergency.