Fishing in the Maldives

The Republic of Maldives, a low-lying archipelago comprising about 1190 islands grouped into 20 atolls. The country is famous for its tourism and natural beauty. Even before tourism was introduced to the Maldives in the late 70’s, Maldivians lived a happy and peaceful life. They paid tribute to great kings and leaders of the world. With their natural wealth, livelihood of these simple but proud people was fishing.

Maldivian Cuisine

The Republic of Maldives is an island nation with a population of approximately 300,000. The people of Maldives are known as Maldivians (‘Dhivehin’) and the language they speak is called 'Dhivehi'. The language and the ancestry of Maldivians originate from ancient Sanskrit and South India. Maldives is a country with a land area of about 300 sqkm. Most of its territory is covered by the Indian Ocean. Due to the limited availability of cultivable land for agriculture, and very few natural resources, Maldivians very much depend on their surrounding seas for food. Varieties of fishes and seafood constitute an integral part of the Maldivian cuisine. 

Political developments in the Maldives

In the past the Republic of Maldives used to be ruled by kings and sultans. But during recent history the country has been under the leadership of the three presidents, Mohamed Amin Didi, Ibrahim Naasir and Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, respectively. The latter was in power for the past three decades.

Culture of the Maldives

The unique culture of Maldives is a blend of flavours from various cultures of the visitors who set foot in this island nation. The first settlers are believed to be from Sri Lanka and Southern India. As Maldives lie on the trade route of ancient marine trade, African, Arab and South East Asian mariners often visited the Maldives. Hence the influences of Indian, Sri Lankan, African, Arabian and South East Asian cultures are reflected in Maldivian lifestyle.

A Peek In To Maldivian Economy

In the past Maldives was famous for local and foreign trade of commodities such as dried tuna fish, coir rope, turtle shell, ambergris, (‘maavaharu’), cowries and Coco de mer or Maldive coconut (‘Thavakkaashi’). At present the Maldivian economy is based on tourism, fishing and shipping. Fishing is the second largest economic sector in the Maldives. Other minor sectors include agriculture and Construction industry.

Education In The Maldives

The traditional style of education in the Maldives used to be learning basic Arabic, Dhivehi, basic arithmetic, and the recitation of Quran. In early days, education was provided in ‘Kiyavaages’ and ‘Makthabs’ where children learned the ability to read and write ‘Dhivehi’, the mother tongue of Maldivians. The main focus of these educational establishments was to teach children Quran.

Health Sector In The Maldives

The Maldives is an Island nation with a population of about 305,027. The country is making remarkable achievements in human development. In Maldives, life expectancy was estimated to be 71 years for males and 72 years for females, in the year 2004. The population of Maldives is dominated by young and though the population growth has stabilized over the past few years, it is expected to rise in the years to come.

History of the Maldives

The population of the Republic of Maldives is about 300,000 Sunni Muslims. Their lineage can be traced back to ancient Aryan immigrants from the subcontinent of India. Maldivians speak their own unique language called ‘Dhivehi’. It is a complex language which has evolved from ancient Sanskrit and Arabic language. This is the mother tongue of Maldivians. Dhivehi is spoken exclusively by Maldivians. 

Maldivian weather

Maldives is a group of coral Islands located in the equatorial belt, 500 km (300 miles) south west of southern India. The nation is comprised of approximately 1190 Islands clustered into 26 Atolls forming a double chain in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Out of this 1190 Islands about 200 or so Islands are inhabited and most of the Maldivian territory is covered by the sea. The land mass is about 300 sq. km.

Health benefits of coconut water

Coconut which is regarded as functional food has provided food and nourishment to so many people around the world for thousands of years. Many people in the tropics, including Maldivians, consume coconut in their diet as staple food. Coconut is very nutritious as it is rich in fiber, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. As food, coconut provides a nutritious source of juice, milk, oil and meat. It is a great gift of nature with lots of natural and health benefits.

How people use the coconut palm in the Maldivian culture

Maldives is an island nation located very closely to the equator. This nation is a cluster of more than 1190 islands. In the spectacular view of these beautiful islands from above, one would see the decorative lush vegetation of coconut palms. Coconut palm locally known as ‘Dhivehi ruh’ (scientifically Cocos nucifera) is a good natural resource to the Maldivians, linked to their everyday lives. This is the most commonly grown tree in the Maldives. Coconut palms, found in abundance in all the islands, are declared as the national tree of the Republic of Maldives. The national emblem of Maldives also contains a coconut palm embedded in it.

Uses of coconut palm oil in the Maldivian culture

Coconut is found in abundance all throughout the Maldives. Maldives being in the tropics provides the perfect soil for coconuts to grow. Coconut palm, which also grows wild, is the most commonly grown tree in the Maldives. Maldivians find all parts of the tree useful and it is considered a good resource to Maldivians.

Health care status in the Maldives

Maldives, with a population of about 305,027, is the smallest country in Asia, both population and area wise. Its first health plan was developed in 1981. Since the early 1980′s, health care is delivered in the Maldives through a primary health care approach. The health policy in Maldives is laid out in such a way to increase life expectancy and quality of life. To achieve these, the government is developing the country’s health structure to attain the reduction of disability, suffering, death, and disease.

Communicable disease trends in the Maldives

Maldives is a small, developing country that highly depends on tourism and fisheries as major economic resources. Maldives, being located in the tropics is subjected to tropical diseases such as malaria, filaria, dengue, leprosy, tuberculosis etc. There was a high prevalence of such communicable diseases in the Maldives, two decades back. With the remarkable achievements in the prevention and control of communicable diseases, Maldives is now experiencing a shift in health trends towards non-communicable diseases.

An overview of traditional coir rope making in the Maldives

In the past Maldivians were well known for craftsmanship on a regional basis. Coir rope making is regarded as one of the traditional handicrafts in the Maldives. People of the northern most atoll of Maldives, Haa Alif atoll is famous for the production of the highly attributed fine coir rope called "aiyvaa roanu". As Maldivians use readily available resources in their environment to produce items for their daily needs, different parts of the coconut palm is used in this regard. Coir rope was most importantly used in boats and construction of traditional "fungi" houses.

Seafaring activities in the Indian Ocean and the discovery of Maldives

The island nation of Maldives consisting of 1190 islands scattered in the Northern Indian Ocean, lies 800 Km South West of the tip of India. Maldives, a truly unspoiled natural wonder remained isolated and undiscovered to the world before the start of seafaring activities in the Indian Ocean. With its rich culture and remarkable history, Maldives is now a famous tourist destination attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists to its sun kissed, white, sandy beaches and turquoise waters with magnificent under water beauty.

The traditional ekel broom of the Maldives

In the equatorial belt, 300 miles south west of the southern tip of India, lies the pearl necklace of the Indian Ocean, known as the Republic of Maldives. The 1190 coral islands of the Maldives belong to 26 natural atolls. With a population of about 300,000, early settlement in the Maldives is believed to have taken place in the 5th century BC. The people of Maldives highly value the traditions and culture of their nation which is well known for its natural beauty.

Traditionally, Maldivians are known to utilize what little is available from their environment to produce items that are used for their daily needs. Maldives being an island nation, the islands are isolated from each other by the vast Indian Ocean. There is limited inter island transportation, which led to the formation of individual cultures and unique ways of living among the islanders of the Maldives. 

Protection from doomsday conspiracy

The devastating tsunami of 2004 is a day of darkness to countless people throughout the world. On this day of extreme sorrow and sadness, the republic of Maldives also lost a great many number of her beloved sons and daughters. With a population of only about 300,000 a loss of even 100 is a huge loss in terms of human lives. With an average elevation of only 1.2 meters above sea level, Maldives never had a chance of evading the wrath and the fury of the deadly waves that caught the whole world by surprise.

Maldives

The republic of Maldives, a low lying archipelago of small Islands in the Indian Ocean. Maldives is located in the laccadive sea, approximately 700 kilometers south-west of Sri Lanka and 400 kilometers south-west of India. The country is made up of 1,192 Islands scattered in an area of about 118,000 square km. All these islands are flat terrains with an average elevation of 1.2 meters above sea level. Of these islands only about 200 islands are inhabited. Positioned in the equatorial region, the country’s climate is sub-tropical.