75-563: Felivaru Fisheries Maldives ( FFM ) is a company owned by the government of Maldives . It produces canned tuna and cooked fish for local and export markets. FFM catches tuna off the coast of the Maldives using the pole and line method . This method is certified as " dolphin friendly " by the Earth Island Institute . FFM claims that the pole and line method used in Maldivian fisheries
150-493: A British protectorate was officially recorded in an 1887 agreement in which the sultan Muhammad Mueenuddeen II accepted British influence over Maldivian external relations and defence while retaining home rule, which continued to be regulated by Muslim traditional institutions in exchange for an annual tribute . The status of the islands was akin to other British protectorates in the Indian Ocean region, including Zanzibar and
225-562: A Buddhist kingdom for another 500 years. Arabic became the prime language of administration (instead of Persian and Urdu), and the Maliki school of jurisprudence was introduced, both hinting at direct contact with the core of the Arab world. Middle Eastern seafarers had just begun to take over the Indian Ocean trade routes in the 10th century and found the Maldives to be an important link in those routes as
300-804: A founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The Maldives is a member of the United Nations , the Commonwealth of Nations , the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , and the Non-Aligned Movement . The World Bank classifies the Maldives as having an upper- middle income economy. The Maldives is a Dialogue Partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation . Fishing has historically been
375-496: A large-scale land reclamation project in Hulhumalé in the late 1990s, partly in preparation for relocation from elsewhere in the country. A Dutch company has proposed building 5000 floating homes near Malé. In 2008, Nasheed announced plans to look into purchasing new land in India , Sri Lanka , and Australia because of his concerns about global warming, and the possibility of much of
450-488: A low-carbon country." To defend against climate change and the resulting sea level rise, the national government of the Maldives has prepared a comprehensive National Adaptation Programme of Action, that attempts to critically consider and alleviate many of the serious threats the Maldives faces. The Maldives has implemented measures to combat sea level rise, including a wall around the capital Malé and refurnishing local infrastructure, particularly ports. The country began
525-468: A remote atoll . Economic decline followed the closure of the British airfield at Gan and the collapse of the market for dried fish, an important export. With support for his administration faltering, Nasir fled to Singapore in 1978, with millions of dollars from the treasury. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom began his 30-year role as president in 1978, winning six consecutive elections without opposition. His election
600-527: Is a sustainable and effective methods in getting the target species. The sustainability claim is supported by certification of skipjack tuna ( Katsuwonus pelamis ) by the Marine Stewardship Council . This Asian corporation or company article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Maldives The Maldives , officially the Republic of Maldives , and historically known as
675-552: The Berber traveller interpreted the name of Malé, having been through Muslim North India, where Perso-Arabic words were introduced to the local vocabulary. This is the name currently inscribed on the scroll in the Maldives state emblem . The classical Persian/Arabic name for the Maldives is Dibajat . The Dutch referred to the islands as the Maldivische Eilanden ( pronounced [mɑlˈdivisə ˈʔɛilɑndə(n)] ), while
750-492: The Chagos Archipelago and Lakshadweep . The Maldives has an average ground-level elevation of 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) above sea level, and a highest natural point of only 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in), making it the world's lowest-lying country. Some sources state the highest point, Mount Villingili , as 5.1 metres or 17 feet. The Maldives has been inhabited for over 2,500 years. Documented contact with
825-573: The Food and Agriculture Organization in Asia-Pacific, said the study provided a "new perspective" on how island nations could tackle the challenge of sea-level rise, and that even if islands can adapt naturally to higher seas by raising their own crests, humans still needed to double down on global warming and protection for island populations. Most people in the Maldives live on small, flat, densely populated atolls that are threatened by violent storms or even
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#1732876986206900-606: The Gan and the Hithadhoo facilities for thirty years, with the payment of £750,000 from 1960 to 1965 for the Maldives' economic development. The base was closed in 1976 as part of the larger British withdrawal of permanently-stationed forces ' East of Suez '. When the British became increasingly unable to continue their colonial hold on Asia and were losing their colonies to the indigenous populations who wanted freedom, on 26 July 1965 an agreement
975-465: The Indian Ocean earthquake . Only nine islands were reported to have escaped any flooding, while fifty-seven islands faced serious damage to critical infrastructure, fourteen islands had to be totally evacuated, and six islands were destroyed. A further twenty-one resort islands were forced to close because of tsunami damage. The total damage was estimated at more than US$ 400 million, or some 62% of
1050-643: The Maldive Islands , is a country and archipelagic state in South Asia in the Indian Ocean . The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India , about 750 kilometres (470 miles; 400 nautical miles) from the Asian continent's mainland. The Maldives' chain of 26 atolls stretches across the equator from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to Addu Atoll in the south. The Maldives is the smallest country in Asia . Including
1125-631: The Trucial States . In the British period, the Sultan's powers were taken over by the Chief Minister, much to the chagrin of the British Governor-General who continued to deal with the ineffectual Sultan. Consequently, Britain encouraged the development of a constitutional monarchy , and the first Constitution was proclaimed in 1932. However, the new arrangements favoured neither the Sultan nor
1200-598: The Vedic period mention the "Hundred Thousand Islands" ( Lakshadweepa ), a generic name which would include not only the Maldives, but also the Laccadives , Aminidivi Islands, Minicoy , and the Chagos island groups. Medieval Muslim travellers such as Ibn Battuta called the islands Maḥal Dībīyāt ( محل ديبية ) from the Arabic word maḥal ("palace"), which must be how
1275-478: The archipelago by the beginning of the 1970s. The first resort in the Maldives was Kurumba Maldives which welcomed the first guests on 3 October 1972. The first accurate census was held in December 1977 and showed 142,832 people living in the Maldives. Political infighting during the 1970s between Nasir's faction and other political figures led to the 1975 arrest and exile of elected prime minister Ahmed Zaki to
1350-608: The 17th century in Arabic by Allama Ahmed Shihabuddine (Allama Shihab al-Din) of Meedhoo in Addu Atoll, the first settlers of the Maldives were people known as Dheyvis. They came from the Kalibanga in India. The time of their arrival is unknown but it was before Emperor Asoka 's kingdom in 269–232 BCE. Shihabuddin's story tallies remarkably well with the recorded history of South Asia and that of
1425-553: The 1997 United Nations General Assembly . President Mohamed Nasheed said in 2012 that "If carbon emissions continue at the rate they are climbing today, my country will be under water in seven years." He called for more climate change mitigation action while on the American television shows The Daily Show and the Late Show with David Letterman , and hosted "the world's first underwater cabinet meeting " in 2009 to raise awareness of
1500-474: The British anglicised the local name for the islands first to the "Maldive Islands" and later to "Maldives". In a conversational book published in 1563, Garcia de Orta writes: "I must tell you that I have heard it said that the natives do not call it Maldiva but Nalediva. In the Malabar language, nale means four and diva island. So that in that language, the word signifies 'four islands', while we, corrupting
1575-613: The British presence on Gan . This group cut ties with the Maldives government and formed an independent state, the United Suvadive Republic with Abdullah Afeef as president and Hithadhoo as its capital. One year later the Suvadive republic was scrapped after Nasir sent gunboats from Malé with government police, and Abdullah Afeef went into exile. Meanwhile, in 1960 the Maldives allowed the United Kingdom to continue to use both
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#17328769862061650-585: The Chief Minister, but rather a young crop of British-educated reformists. As a result, angry mobs were instigated against the Constitution which was publicly torn up. The Maldives remained a British crown protectorate until 1953 when the sultanate was suspended and the First Republic was declared under the short-lived presidency of Mohamed Amin Didi . While serving as prime minister during the 1940s, Didi nationalised
1725-502: The Commonwealth on 1 February 2020 after showing evidence of functioning democratic processes and popular support. According to legends, the first settlers of the Maldives were people known as Dheyvis. The first Kingdom of the Maldives was known as Kingdom of Dheeva Maari [ bn ] . During the 3rd century BCE visit of emissaries, it was noted that the Maldives was known as Dheeva Mahal. During c. 1100 – 1166,
1800-474: The GDP. 102 Maldivians and 6 foreigners reportedly died in the tsunami. The destructive impact of the waves on the low-lying islands was mitigated by the fact there was no continental shelf or land mass upon which the waves could gain height. The tallest waves were reported to be 14 feet (4.3 m) high. During the later part of Maumoon's rule, independent political movements emerged in the Maldives, which challenged
1875-525: The Maldives Climate change is a major issue for the Maldives . As an archipelago of low-lying islands and atolls in the Indian Ocean, the existence of the Maldives is severely threatened by sea level rise . By 2050, 80% of the country could become uninhabitable due to global warming. According to the World Bank , with "future sea levels projected to increase in the range of 10 to 100 centimeters by
1950-428: The Maldives . The Maldives contains 3% of the world's coral reefs , which are impacted by climate change. The 2016 global coral bleaching event greatly impacted coral reefs across the Maldives, with such events expected to become more frequent and severe due to climate change. In 2009, President Mohamed Nasheed announced a plan to make the country carbon neutral and pursue a renewable energy transition in
2025-540: The Maldives and the Marshall Islands , found that tides move sediment to create a higher elevation, a morphological response that could help low-lying islands adjust to sea level rise and keep the islands habitable. The research also reported that sea walls were compromising the islands’ ability to adjust to rising sea levels and that island drowning is an inevitable outcome for islands with coastal structures like sea walls. Hideki Kanamaru, natural resources officer with
2100-473: The Maldives both developed and flourished, a culture that survives today. The Maldivian language , early Maldive scripts, architecture, ruling institutions, customs, and manners of the Maldivians originated at the time when the Maldives were a Buddhist kingdom. Buddhism probably spread to the Maldives in the 3rd century BCE at the time of Emperor Ashoka 's expansion and became the dominant religion of
2175-658: The Maldives was coir , the fibre of the dried coconut husk , resistant to saltwater. It stitched together and rigged the dhows that plied the Indian Ocean. Maldivian coir was exported to Sindh , China , Yemen , and the Persian Gulf . In 1558, the Portuguese established a small garrison with a Viador ( Viyazoaru ), or overseer of a factory (trading post) in the Maldives, which they administered from their main colony in Goa . Their attempts to forcefully impose Christianity with
2250-1013: The Maldives was also referred to as Diva Kudha and the Laccadive archipelago which was a part of the Maldives was then referred to as Diva Kanbar by the scholar and polymath al-Biruni (973–1048). The name Maldives may also derive from Sanskrit माला mālā ( garland ) and द्वीप dvīpa (island), or මාල දිවයින Maala Divaina ("Necklace Islands") in Sinhala . The Maldivian people are called Dhivehin . The word Dheeb/Deeb (archaic Dhivehi , related to Sanskrit द्वीप , dvīpa ) means "island", and Dhives ( Dhivehin ) means "islanders" (i.e., Maldivians). In Tamil, "Garland of Islands" can be translated as Mālaitīvu ( மாலைத்தீவு ). The venerable Sri Lankan chronicle Mahavamsa mentions an island designated as Mahiladiva ("Island of Women", महिलादिभ) in Pali, likely arising from an erroneous translation of
2325-596: The Maldives. Assuming that cowrie shells come from the Maldives, historians believe that there may have been people living in the Maldives during the Indus Valley civilisation (3300–1300 BCE). A number of artefacts show the presence of Hinduism in the country before the Islamic period. According to the book Kitāb fi āthār Mīdhu al-qādimah ( كتاب في آثار ميذو القديمة ) ( On the Ancient Ruins of Meedhoo ), written in
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2400-496: The Muslim title of Sultan Muhammad al-Adil, he initiated a series of six Islamic dynasties that lasted until 1932 when the sultanate became elective. The formal title of the sultan up to 1965 was, Sultan of Land and Sea, Lord of the twelve-thousand islands and Sultan of the Maldives which came with the style Highness . A Moroccan traveller named Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari is traditionally cited for this conversion. According to
2475-562: The Sanskrit term, signifying "garland". Jan Hogendorn, Grossman Professor of Economics at Colby College , theorised that the name Maldives derives from the Sanskrit mālādvīpa ( मालाद्वीप ), meaning "garland of islands". In Malayalam , "Garland of Islands" can be translated as Maladweepu ( മാലദ്വീപ് ). In Kannada, "Garland of Islands" can be translated as Maaledweepa ( ಮಾಲೆದ್ವೀಪ ). None of these names are mentioned in any literature, however, classical Sanskrit texts dating back to
2550-532: The copperplate document of the Maldives known as Loamaafaanu . The Maapanansa , the copper plates on which recorded the history of the first Kings of the Maldives from the Solar Dynasty, were lost quite early on. A 4th-century notice written by Ammianus Marcellinus (362 CE) speaks of gifts sent to the Roman emperor Julian by a deputation from the nation of Divi. The name Divi is very similar to Dheyvi who were
2625-619: The dominant economic activity, and remains the largest sector by far, followed by the rapidly growing tourism industry. The Maldives rates "high" on the Human Development Index , with per capita income significantly higher than other SAARC nations. The Maldives was a member of the Commonwealth of Nations from July 1982 until withdrawing from the organisation in October 2016 in protest of allegations by other nations of its human rights abuses and failing democracy. The Maldives rejoined
2700-401: The end of the 12th century is considered the cornerstone of the country's history. Nonetheless, the cultural influence of Buddhism remains, a reality directly experienced by Ibn Battuta during his nine months there sometime between 1341 and 1345, serving as a chief judge and marrying into the royal family of Omar I . For he became embroiled in local politics and left when his strict judgments in
2775-472: The establishment of the capital and kingly rule in Malé. A strong underlying layer of Dravidian and North Indian cultures survives in Maldivian society, with a clear Elu substratum in the language, which also appears in place names, kinship terms, poetry, dance, and religious beliefs. The North Indian system was brought by the original Sinhalese from Sri Lanka . Malabar and Pandya seafaring culture led to
2850-545: The father of the former first lady of the Maldives Fazna Ahmed . The attackers were defeated by then National Security Services of Maldives . On the night of 3 November 1988, the Indian Air Force airlifted a parachute battalion group from Agra and flew them over 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) to the Maldives. By the time Indian armed forces reached the Maldives, the mercenary forces has already left Malé on
2925-525: The first landfall for traders from Basra sailing to Southeast Asia. Trade involved mainly cowrie shells —widely used as a form of currency throughout Asia and parts of the East African coast—and coir fibre. The Bengal Sultanate , where cowrie shells were used as legal tender, was one of the principal trading partners of the Maldives. The Bengal–Maldives cowry shell trade was the largest shell currency trade network in history. The other essential product of
3000-415: The first settlers of Maldives. The ancient history of the Maldives is told in copperplates, ancient scripts carved on coral artefacts, traditions, language and different ethnicities of Maldivians. The first Maldivians did not leave any archaeological artefacts. Their buildings were probably built of wood, palm fronds, and other perishable materials, which would have quickly decayed in the salt and wind of
3075-414: The fish export industry. As president, he is remembered as a reformer of the education system and an advocate of women's rights . Conservatives in Malé ousted his government, and during a riot over food shortages, Didi was beaten by a mob and died on a nearby island. Beginning in the 1950s, the political history in the Maldives was largely influenced by the British military presence on the islands. In 1954,
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3150-421: The following decade. Maldives planned to eliminate or offset all of its greenhouse gas emissions . At the 2009 International Climate Talks , Nasheed explained that: For us swearing off fossil fuels is not only the right thing to do, but it is also in our economic self-interest... Pioneering countries will free themselves from the unpredictable price of foreign oil; they will capitalise on the new green economy of
3225-465: The four cardinal points with the main gate facing east. Local historian Hassan Ahmed Maniku counted as many as 59 islands with Buddhist archaeological sites in a provisional list he published in 1990. The importance of the Arabs as traders in the Indian Ocean by the 12th century may partly explain why the last Buddhist king of the Maldives, Dhovemi , converted to Islam in the year 1153 (or 1193). Adopting
3300-400: The future, and they will enhance their moral standing giving them greater political influence on the world stage. In 2017, the government of Abdulla Yameen changed the policy, instead aiming to be a low carbon country and prioritising development. Environment minister Thoriq Ibrahim said "We are going nowhere. The dream [of making the Maldives carbon neutral] is over. We are looking to be
3375-477: The government without success. While the first two attempts met with little success, the 1988 coup attempt involved a roughly 80-strong mercenary force of the PLOTE who seized the airport and caused Maumoon to flee from house to house until the intervention of 1,600 Indian troops airlifted into Malé restored order. The November 1988 coup d'état was headed by Ibrahim Lutfee, a businessman, and Sikka Ahmed Ismail Manik,
3450-472: The hijacked ship MV Progress Light. The Indian paratroopers landed at Hulhulé and secured the airfield and restored the government rule at Malé within hours. The brief operation labelled Operation Cactus , also involved the Indian Navy that assisted in capturing the freighter MV Progress Light and rescued the hostages and crew. The Maldives were devastated by a tsunami on 26 December 2004, following
3525-439: The increasing influence of European colonial powers , with the Maldives becoming a British protectorate in 1887. Independence from the United Kingdom came in 1965, and a presidential republic was established in 1968 with an elected People's Majlis. The ensuing decades have seen political instability, efforts at democratic reform, and environmental challenges posed by climate change and rising sea levels . The Maldives became
3600-456: The islands being inundated by the rising sea. The purchase of land will be made from a fund generated by tourism . The president explained his intentions: "We do not want to leave the Maldives, but we also do not want to be climate refugees living in tents for decades". Advocacy for climate change mitigation is a key component of the Maldives' foreign policy . Concerns over sea level rise were expressed by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom at
3675-458: The laissez-faire island kingdom began to chafe with its rulers. In particular, he was angered at the local women going about with no clothing above the waist— a cultural epithet of the region at the time- was seen as a violation of Middle Eastern Islamic rules of modesty—and the locals taking no notice when he complained. Compared to the other areas of South Asia, the conversion of the Maldives to Islam happened relatively late. The Maldives remained
3750-497: The mid-17th century, the Dutch, who had replaced the Portuguese as the dominant power in Ceylon , established hegemony over Maldivian affairs without involving themselves directly in local matters, which were governed according to centuries-old Islamic customs. The British expelled the Dutch from Ceylon in 1796 and included the Maldives as a British protectorate . The status of the Maldives as
3825-520: The name of protecting Islam. Nasheed controversially resigned from office after large number of police and army mutinied in February 2012. Nasheed's vice-president, Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik , was sworn in as president. Nasheed was later arrested, convicted of terrorism, and sentenced to 13 years. The trial was widely seen as flawed and political. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention called for Nasheed's immediate release. Climate change in
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#17328769862063900-463: The name, call it Maldiva." The local name for Maldives by the Maldivian people in Dhivehi language is "Dhivehi Raajje", ( Dhivehi : ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ ). In the 6th–5th century BCE, the Maldives already had their kingdoms. The country has an established history of over 2,500 years according to historical evidence and legends. The Mahāvaṃsa (300 BCE) has records of people from Sri Lanka emigrating to
3975-485: The next 20 to 40 years [would] be 'catastrophic'". By 2021, 90% of islands in the Maldives experienced severe erosion, 97% of the country no longer had fresh groundwater, and more than 50% of the national budget was being spent on efforts to adapt to the effects of climate change. The country lost one of its primary natural defenses in a 2016 bleaching event that affected about 60% of its coral reefs . The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 's 2007 report predicted
4050-478: The outside world began around 947 AD when Arab travelers began visiting the islands. In the 12th century, partly due to the importance of the Arabs and Persians as traders in the Indian Ocean, Islam reached the Maldivian Archipelago. The Maldives was soon consolidated as a sultanate , developing strong commercial and cultural ties with Asia and Africa . From the mid-16th century, the region came under
4125-506: The people of the Maldives until the 12th century. The ancient Maldivian Kings promoted Buddhism , and the first Maldive writings and artistic achievements, in the form of highly developed sculpture and architecture, originate from that period. Nearly all archaeological remains in the Maldives are from Buddhist stupas and monasteries, and all artefacts found to date display characteristic Buddhist iconography. Buddhist (and Hindu) temples were Mandala shaped. They are oriented according to
4200-470: The question, and 93.34% of those taking part voted in favour of establishing a republic. The republic was declared on 11 November 1968, thus ending the 853-year-old monarchy, which was replaced by a republic under the presidency of Ibrahim Nasir. As the King had held little real power, this was seen as a cosmetic change and required few alterations in the structures of government. Tourism began to be developed on
4275-457: The restoration of the sultanate perpetuated the rule of the past. Two years later, the United Kingdom obtained permission to reestablish its wartime RAF Gan airfield in the southernmost Addu Atoll, employing hundreds of locals. In 1957, however, the new prime minister , Ibrahim Nasir , called for a review of the agreement. Nasir was challenged in 1959 by a local secessionist movement in the three southernmost atolls that benefited economically from
4350-460: The scholar now stands on the grounds of Medhu Ziyaaraiy , across the street from the Friday Mosque, or Hukuru Miskiy , in Malé. Originally built in 1153 and re-built in 1658, this is one of the oldest surviving mosques in the Maldives. Following the Islamic concept that before Islam there was the time of Jahiliya (ignorance), in the history books used by Maldivians the introduction of Islam at
4425-414: The sea, the territory spans roughly 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 sq mi), with a land area of 298 square kilometres (115 sq mi). The Maldives is one of the world's most geographically dispersed sovereign states, and the smallest Muslim country by land area. With a population of 515,132 in the 2022 census, it is the 2nd least populous country in Asia and the ninth-smallest country in
4500-660: The second round. His administration faced many challenges, including the huge debt left by the previous government, the economic downturn following the 2004 tsunami, overspending by means of overprinting of local currency (the rufiyaa ), unemployment, corruption, and increasing drug use. Taxation on goods was imposed for the first time in the country, and import duties were reduced on many goods and services. Universal health insurance ( Aasandha ) and social welfare benefits were given to those aged 65 years or older, single parents, and those with special needs. Social and political unrest grew in late 2011 , following opposition campaigns in
4575-460: The settlement of the Islands by Tamil and Malabar seafarers. The Maldive Islands were mentioned in ancient Sangam Tamil literature as "Munneer Pazhantheevam" or "Older Islands of Three Seas". Despite being just mentioned briefly in most history books, the 1,400 year-long Buddhist period has a foundational importance in the history of the Maldives. It was during this period that the culture of
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#17328769862064650-435: The slightest sea level rise. The capital Malé is especially threatened because it is on a small, flat, extremely densely populated atoll that is surrounded by sea walls, and other barriers to protect against storms. This means the Malé atoll cannot change shape in response to rising sea levels and is increasingly reliant on expensive engineering solutions. Climate change will also have significant implications for tourism in
4725-506: The story told to Ibn Battutah , a mosque was built with the inscription: 'The Sultan Ahmad Shanurazah accepted Islam at the hand of Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari.' Some scholars have suggested the possibility of Ibn Battuta misreading Maldive texts, and having a bias towards the North African, Maghrebi narrative of this Shaykh, instead of the Persian origins account that was known as well at
4800-401: The sultanate continued for another three years under Sir Muhammad Fareed Didi , who declared himself King upon independence. On 15 November 1967, a vote was taken in parliament to decide whether the Maldives should continue as a constitutional monarchy or become a republic. Of the 44 members of parliament, 40 voted in favour of a republic. On 15 March 1968, a national referendum was held on
4875-476: The then-ruling Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's Party, MPP) and demanded democratic reform. The dissident journalist and activist Mohamed Nasheed founded the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) in 2003 and pressured Maumoon into allowing gradual political reforms. In 2008, a new constitution was approved and the first direct presidential elections occurred, which were won by Nasheed in
4950-417: The threat of death provoked a local revolt led by Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-A'uẓam , his two brothers and Dhuvaafaru Dhandahele, who fifteen years later drove the Portuguese out of the Maldives. This event is now commemorated as National Day which is known as Qaumee Dhuvas (literally meaning "National" and "Day"). It is celebrated on 1st of Rabi' al-Awwal , the third month of Hijri (Islamic) calendar. In
5025-671: The threats posed by climate change. Former President of the Maldives Maumoon Abdul Gayoom said in 2016 "to the three hundred thousand inhabitants of the Maldives none of these threats compare, in magnitude and likelihood, to global climate change and consequent sea level rise." Former environment minister for the Maldives, Mohamed Aslam, said "If Maldives can do it, you can do it. It's important to us not just to talk but to lead by example". A 2017 study of Maldivians' public opinion on climate change found that "more than 50% of respondents perceive future sea-level rise to be
5100-445: The time, Arabic had several consonants that looked identical and could only be differentiated by overall context (this has since changed by addition of dots above or below letters to clarify pronunciation – For example, the letter "B" in modern Arabic has a dot below, whereas the letter "T" looks identical except there are two dots above it). "ٮوسڡ الٮٮرٮرى" could be read as "Yusuf at-Tabrizi" or "Yusuf al-Barbari". The venerated tomb of
5175-401: The time. Others have it that he may have been from the Persian town of Tabriz . This interpretation, held by the more reliable local historical chronicles, Raadavalhi and Taarikh, is that Abu al-Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari was Abdul Barakat Yusuf Shams ud-Dīn at-Tabrīzī, also locally known as Tabrīzugefānu. In the Arabic script the words al-Barbari and al-Tabrizi are very much alike, since at
5250-501: The tropical climate. Moreover, chiefs or headmen did not reside in elaborate stone palaces, nor did their religion require the construction of large temples or compounds. Comparative studies of Maldivian oral, linguistic, and cultural traditions confirm that the first settlers were people from the southern shores of the neighbouring Indian subcontinent , including the Giraavaru people , mentioned in ancient legends and local folklore about
5325-493: The upper limit of the sea level rises will be 59 centimetres (23 in) by 2100, which means that most of the Maldives' 200 inhabited islands may need to be abandoned. According to researchers from the University of Southampton , the Maldives are the third most endangered island nation due to flooding from climate change as a percentage of population. In 2020, a three-year study at the University of Plymouth which looked at
5400-487: The world by area , but also one of the most densely populated countries in the world . Malé is the capital and the most populated city, traditionally called the "King's Island", where the ancient royal dynasties ruled from its central location. The Maldivian Archipelago is located on the Chagos–Laccadive Ridge , a vast submarine mountain range in the Indian Ocean; this also forms a terrestrial ecoregion with
5475-420: The year 2100, the entire country could be submerged". The Maldives is striving to adapt to climate change , and Maldivian authorities have been prominent in international political advocacy to implement climate change mitigation . In 1988, Maldivian authorities believed that rising seas could already entirely cover the nation within the next 30 years, stating that "an estimated rise of 20 to 30 centimetres in
5550-491: Was seen as ushering in a period of political stability and economic development given Maumoon's priority to develop the poorer islands. Tourism flourished and increased foreign contact spurred development. However, Maumoon's rule was controversial, with some critics saying Maumoon was an autocrat who quelled dissent by limiting freedoms and practising political favouritism. A series of coup attempts (in 1980, 1983, and 1988) by Nasir supporters and business interests tried to topple
5625-624: Was signed on behalf of the Sultan by Ibrahim Nasir Rannabandeyri Kilegefan, Prime Minister, and on behalf of the British government by Sir Michael Walker , British Ambassador-designate to the Maldive Islands, which formally ended the British authority on the defence and external affairs of the Maldives. The islands thus achieved independence, with the ceremony taking place at the British High Commissioner's Residence in Colombo . After this,
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