The Maldives is an island country located in the Indian Ocean comprised of over 1,000 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls. It has a tropical climate and 99% of its land is 1 meter or less above sea level, making it highly vulnerable to rising sea levels from climate change. The population is around 350,000 people, with most residing in the capital city of Male. While the economy was traditionally based on fishing, it now relies heavily on tourism, with over 90% of government revenue coming from tourism and import duties.

1. The Republic of the
Maldives
Amanda Bain’s Presentation

2. Where/What: location and physical environment?
Climate, physical characteristics
• The Maldives is 99% Ocean
• Former President Mohamed Nasheed stated, “The Maldives are ranked the third most endangered nation due to flooding from
climate change.
• Population sits at about 350,000
• About 200 of the islands are inhabited and 90 are tourists resorts and the rest are uninhabited but still utilized for agriculture or
animal life.
• It is encompassed by the Indian Ocean
• Made of a double chain of 26 atolls and those chains are within the Indian Ocean and sits below India
• The capital is Male which contains about 1/3 of the population
• The territory of the atolls is about 35,000 square miles and is the most geographically dispersed in the world.
• It’s the smallest Asian country in both population and actual size of the country, being “the country's lowest highest point in the
wolrd”
• Maldives is about 1,192 coral islands and the atolls are composed of coral reefs and sand bars
• The climate is a tropical –monsoon climate having two main seasons being the dry and the rainy season. The moist southwest
monsoon to the dry northeast monsoon is April through may. And the northeast winds is the reason for the northeast monsoon
which is about June to August.

5. Who/What: who lives there and what do they do:
population, food, government, religion,
government, economic activities?
• For many centuries the Maldives was all about fishing and marine life, which encompassed them economically.
• Now fishing is still the main occupation but economically the tourism is the money maker.
• The government gives priority to the fisheries sector.
• Current president is Abdulla Yameen
• Their language is Dhivehi
• The traditional fishing boat, dhoni was a major development in the fisheries industry in 1974.
• Over 90% of the governments tax revenue comes from tourism and import duties
• Highest national divorce rate
• There trademark three main items are coconuts, fish and starch as well as curries.
• The water source is a layer of water that sits on top of the sea, its fresh water and is diminishing rapidly in the areas
high in tourism. The do get a lot of their water from rainfall and some from the ground as well.
• December 26th 2004 the tsunami that followed the Indian ocean earth quake killed 82 people and displaced 12,000
and about 400 million in damages. This tsunami whipped away 30 islands in the process.

6. Photos of the previously mentioned

7. Why/How: why is this place like it is today,
how did it get that way (very brief history)?
• Origin of the Maldives is unsure and Charles Darwin had a theory that
submerging volcanoes rose from sea and coral reefs grew from the edge.
When the volcanoes then submerged leaving the coral reefs surrounding a
lagoon. Hans Hass also had a theory that coral reefs built up on top of
submerged mountains and eventually grew to the surface. These reefs
brought dead corals and sand to create islands the encircle lagoons.
• The Maldives are still forming and disappearing.
• The Maldives being the lowest sea level in the world is the first to feel
results from all the worlds climate change.
• Sea level has risen 8 inches in the last century and by 2100 is predicted to
rise 23 inches.

8. Why is this place so special?
• Resorts increased from 2 to 92 in about 30 years and in that time the economy went from reliant
on the fisheries to an abundance of revenue from the tourism.
• This is not just a tourist destination, many people live their today and this country is their home
and has been for generations.
• The government is constantly changing and in 07 replaced their constitution with their now
current constitution assented by President Gayoom
• They are first and foremost to be drastically impacted by the climate and global warming.
• This country thrives because of its beauty but its meters above sea level makes it one of the
country's in the world that could soon come to be underwater.
• Although there is a worry of the country being underwater soon. There government continues to
grow and build infrastructure while acquiring big name partners.
• This place celebrates tourism which isn’t common, they practice kind welcoming nature to all
since 1972.
• They also have some of the most luxurious resorts in the world and are the leading island resort
destinations in the world.

9. Why did I choose The Maldives?
• Beauty
• Tourism
• Its formation and incredible location
• Former President Nasheed effort even after overthrhown

10. Videos
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwJ6EgBUnnU
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nNHtRrMes4

11. References
• Works Cited
• "Atoll." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, n.d. Web. 15 May 2015.
• "The Geography Of The Maldives | Magic Maldives." Magic Maldives | Luxury All Inclusive
Holidays & Honeymoons To Paradise Islands. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2015.
• "History of the Maldives." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, n.d. Web.
15 May 2015.
• "Location and Geography | Maldives - the Sunny Side of Life." Welcome | Maldives - the Sunny
Side of Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2015.
• "The Maldives and Rising Sea Levels." Page Has Moved. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2015.
• "Maldives." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, n.d. Web. 15 May 2015.
• "Maldivian Cuisine." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, n.d. Web.
15 May 2015.
• "Sea Level Rise and the Maldives." Adapting to Global Warming. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2015.