Maldives at a Glance

Population  

396, 334

Location

The Maldives is a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, Southern Asia

Climate

The climate is tropical, with a northeast monsoon season from November to March and a southwest monsoon from June to August

Size

The Maldives cover an area of 300 square kilometers, almost twice the size of Washington, D.C.

Capital

The capital of the Maldives is Male

Religion

Sunni Islam is the official religion of the Maldives

Government

The Maldives is a republic, currently governed by President Mohamed "Anni" NASHEED.  The president is elected by direct public vote and serves a five-year term.  The next elections will be held in 2013.

Ethnic Groups

The population is made up of South Indians, Sinhalese and Arabs

Currency

The official currency is the Rufiyaa (MVR), which is divided into 100 Lares.  The exchange rate in May 2009 was 12.8 Rufiyaa to the US Dollar.

Economy

Principal economic activities in the Maldives are tourism and fishing.