Information on Maldives

The famous explorer Marco Polo referred to the Maldives as the 'flower of the Indies,' while the great traveler Ibn Batuta called her 'one of the wonders of the world.' The archipelago of Maldives has been a constant source of attraction to many tourists all over the globe. Its golden beaches, washed by the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, are enticing to one who loves to venture into the sea.

Maldives is a group of coral islands that stretch along the 73rd meridian between latitudes 0°42' south and 8°10' north. The shortest distance from the mainland of India is 350 km and from Sri Lanka 740 km. The islands lie in the northern Indian Ocean and the sea area is approximately 107,500 sq km. There are some 1,200 islands in the country, 202 of which are inhabited. The archipelago is 823 km long and 130 km at its greatest width. The islands are formed into 26 natural atolls but they are divided into 19 administrative regions, also known as "atolls."

Generally, the year is divided into two monsoon periods: the northeast monsoon or Iruvai lasts from December to March, which are the drier months; the southwest monsoon or Hulhangu lasts from April to November, which are wetter, with more storms and

occasional strong winds. Daytime temperatures are about 28°C throughout the year. The humidity is slightly lower in the dry season but on most days, there is a cool sea breeze.

Each atoll is enclosed by a fringing coral reef that has a few deep, natural channels serving as entry points. Likewise, a protective coral reef surrounds each island. Most islands have a shallow lagoon, known in Maldivian as a villu.

The islands are very small and low-lying, many of which are no more than two meters above sea level. Common features include white sandy beaches and clear lagoons. The protective coral reef surrounding each island is also home to hundreds of species of tropical fish, countless shapes and sizes of coral seashells and all forms of marine life.

The islands are formed from the growth of coral over long-submerged mountain ranges. These are true coral islands, with no other forms of rocks or minerals visible or within easy reach. As a result, beaches are covered with white coral sand with no trace of yellow or black as seen anywhere else in the world. There are no hills, mountains or rivers in the Maldives. The islands are small, and the coral-based soil is poor in essential nutrients.

Though several of the bigger islands have an abundant growth of palm trees, there are others that have poor, sandy soil that supports only a few plants-bamboo, banana, mangroves, breadfruit trees, banyans, tropical vines and numerous coconut palms. The larger, wetter islands have small areas of rainforest. The main crops are limited to sweet potatoes, yams, taro, millet and watermelon, though in a few fertile islands citrus fruits and pineapples are grown as well.

Natural fauna is sparse-giant fruit bats, colorful lizards and the occasional rat. Domestic animals include cats, a few chickens, goats and some rabbits. The most exciting wildlife is under the water. Diving under the azure waters will enable one to see butterfly fish, angelfish, parrotfish, rock cod, unicorn fish, trumpet fish, blue-stripe snapper, Moorish idols, oriental sweet lips and more. Larger life forms, keenly sought by scuba divers, include sharks, stingrays, manta rays, turtles and dolphins.