Location & Geography

The 1190 coral islands that make up the Maldives are scattered across the equator over a total area of 99,000 square kilometers in groups of 26 naturally occurring atolls, 99% of the nation being sea, few islands are more than 2km long and walking across some of them would take just 10 minutes.

Lying between the latitudes 4 degree 17 north and longitudes 73 degree 50 east; the coral island are very low lying with the highest point at approximately 8 feet above sea level. The ring shaped reef structures within the atolls are what protects these delicate islands from the wind and the waves.

200 of these tiny islands are inhabited and around a 100 of the uninhabited islands have been developed in to luxurious resorts offering visitors their own private hideaway.

The capital of the Maldives- Male', is where the seat of government and the center of trade, commerce, business, health and education, is located in the middle of the atoll chain, a small island buzzing with the sounds and activities of more than 150,000 people, which is more than one third of the entire population. Male' is perhaps the smallest urban capital in the world.