The Maldives is an island nation in the Indian Ocean consisting of 26 atolls between Minicoy Island and the Chagos Archipelago. Rice and fish are staple foods, with fish being the most important protein source. Tourism, fisheries, trade, and transport make up the main economic activities due to limited land. The economy has shifted from relying on fisheries to focusing on international tourism, with fishing, construction, and industries like processed fish and clothing also important.

1. MaldivesMaldives
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2. BackgroundBackground
• Maldives, officially the
Republic of the Maldives,
is an island nation in the
Indian Ocean–Arabian
Sea area, consisting of a
double chain of twenty-six
atolls, oriented north-
south, that lie between
Minicoy Island and the
Chagos Archipelago

3. GovernmentGovernment

4. CultureCulture
• Food in Daily Life. Rice and fish are the staple foods. Fish is the most important source of
protein in the average diet. Very few vegetables are eaten. Betel leaf with arecanut, cloves, and
lime, known as foh, is chewed after meals. Old people smoke guduguda, an elongated pipe that
goes through a trough of water. Most food served in tourist resorts is imported.
• Commercial Activities. Because of the limited land mass, the main prospect for economic
development is the country's marine resources. Fisheries, tourism, trade, and transport (shipping)
constitute the principal economic base.
Major Industries. Fisheries and international tourism are the main industries. The economy has
changed from a reliance on fisheries to a service-sector-based economy driven by international
tourism. The main primary sector is fishing. The secondary sector consists of construction and
manufacturing. In the tertiary sector, tourism, government administration, and transport are the
dominant industries. Manufacturing output consists primarily of processed fish; apparel and
clothing; cottage industries such as woven mats, coir rope, and handicrafts; and boat building
industries.