People of Maldives

The people of the Maldives are a curious assortment of Arabs, Africans and South Asians. Not much information is available about the original settlers and their mode of life. However, studies show that the earliest inhabitants of the isles came from Eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Indian subcontinent.

As per the estimates in 1997, the country’s population stood at 263,189, out of which 48.5% were women.

The Maldivian society is a close knit community with a common language – Dhivehi, a unique history and a common religion – Islam. The people of this miniscule country are deeply devout and take their ties to the family and community seriously. Amiable and tolerant, they are a hospitable folk who have embraced modernity wholeheartedly, without eschewing their roots.

The Maldives has a literacy rate of 98% which is one of the highest in the world. With a sturdy build, its people are innate sportsmen. They generally make good soccer, tennis, cricket or badminton players and powerful swimmers. The government is constantly striving to improve the living and educational standards of its people. Consequently the education of women is taken seriously and young women occupy posts of power in the administration.

The southern isles of the Maldives are more densely populated than the rest and Male, the capital city is the chief urban centre with over a quarter of the country’s population residing there.

In the Maldives, primary education is a must for children from 6 to 12; however there are no schools or colleges in the Maldives. To ply among the various atolls, boats are the principal modes of transportation; there is an international airport on Hulule Island, adjacent to Male.