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13 lis 2024 · Maldives, independent island country in the north-central Indian Ocean. It consists of a chain of about 1,200 small coral islands and sandbanks (some 200 of which are inhabited), grouped in clusters, or atolls. The islands extend more than 510 miles (820 km) from north to south and 80 miles (130 km) from east to west.
Maldives is an island country in the Indian Ocean, South Asia, south-southwest of India. It has a total land size of 298 km 2 (115 sq mi) which makes it the smallest country in Asia.
History of the Maldives, a survey of the important events and people in the history of the Maldives. Located in the north-central Indian Ocean, the Maldives is an independent island country that consists of a chain of about 1,200 small coral islands and sandbanks (some 200 of which are inhabited),
The history of the Maldives is intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent and the surrounding regions, comprising the areas of South Asia and Indian Ocean. The modern nation is formed of 26 natural atolls, comprising 1194 islands.
Including 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.
In the 2nd century AD, the renowned Greek geographer Ptolemy included the Maldives in his influential work, Geography. This further attests to the early recognition of the archipelago as a distinct geographic entity.
The word atoll is of Divehi origin. The Maldives is likely named after the main island (and capital) of Male; the word "Maldives" means "the islands (dives) of Male".
