World of the Maldives

The religion of the Maldives is mainly Islam. They speak their own language called Dhivehi. Their dress is mostly typical muslim dress with the head wear and dresses for females. They enjoy festivals and dress up with fancy jewels and clothing during this occasion. They have a signature drum called the bodu-beru that they enjoy using especially during festivals. Most local people make a living through agriculture or fishing. Recently, they have been involved in jobs involving tourism due to the high tourist rates. They are very religious and family- orientated people.

Maldive Islands: Homeland of the Maldives

The Maldivians reside on a group of atolls located in the Indian Ocean. It is to the south of Sri Lanka about 471 miles. The Maldive Islands are approximately 35,200 sq. miles and has 1,190 coral islets with about 400,000 inhabitants. None of the islands are above six feet of sea level therefore they are highly threatened with global warming and shrinking of the ice caps.
There are Maldivian folk tales that believe the Maldives will disappear one day due to the sea level rising. They say "when the sea rises to cover the sandbar where two girls are relaxing, they drown." The Maldives are near the Equator so it is always warm weather and the islands are completely surrounded by water. It is a beautiful place and one of the top vacation places to go to therefore it attracts many tourists.

History of the Maldives

The Maldivians come from The Maldives also known as the Republic of the Maldives or The Maldive Islands. They refer to themselves as Maldives or Maldivians. They were first settled by Buddhist seafarers from India and Sri Lanka in 5th century B.C. They were under british protection in 1887 and a dependency of Sri Lanka until 1948. It became a republic government in 1952 but then went back to a sultanate in 1954.
Finally in 1968 it became a republic government again and independent with it's own President Ibrahim Nasir. In 1978 Nasir was removed from office and replaced by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. In 2008, Mohamed Nasheed was elected. In 2012, Mohammed Waheed Hassan was elected. Finally, in 2013 Abdulla Yameen was elected.

Introduction/Index of the Maldives

Introduction:

This Geography Culture Blog is a blog where I will be posting about a certain culture known as the Maldives of South Asia. Each post will explain a different aspect of the Maldives and their culture. Below is a list of the topics that I will discuss and links to access those posts. 

• Intro/Index of the Maldives
• History of the Maldives
• Maldive Islands : Homeland of the Maldives
• World of the Maldives
• Maldivian Cosmos
• Birds of the Maldives
• The Maldives and their Neighbors
• Maldivian Migration and Diaspora
• Interview
• Maldivian Culture Survival
• References
• Extra: Maldive Art