Maldives
About Maldives
Maldives, officially the Republic of the Maldives, is a sovereign country located in Asia, specifically within the Southern Asia subregion. Its capital and largest urban centre is Malé, and the country is home to approximately 515 thousand people. In its native language, the country is known as “ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ”. Maldivian serves as the primary official language, shaping daily communication, education, government, and media throughout Maldives. The official currency in circulation is the Maldivian rufiyaa (.ރ), used for all domestic transactions and price-tagged goods. Maldives is widely recognised for its overwater villas, pristine coral reefs and being at risk from rising seas. People from Maldives are referred to as Maldivan.
Geography & climate
Maldives covers approximately 300 km² of territory, making it one of the smallest sovereign states in the world by land area. The country is an island nation (or otherwise lacks land borders), surrounded entirely by water and dependent on maritime and air links to reach its neighbours. Geographically, Maldives sits in the Northern and Eastern Hemisphere, at roughly 3.3° N, 73.0° E. Standard civil time follows UTC+05:00 year-round, simplifying scheduling for residents and visitors alike. The prevailing climate of Maldives can be summarised as: indian ocean atolls with tropical & humid. Local weather patterns naturally vary by altitude, latitude, and proximity to oceans or mountain ranges.
People, language & society
With roughly 515 thousand inhabitants, Maldives is a small nation in terms of population. The principal spoken language is Maldivian, which dominates public life, schooling, signage, and the workplace. Locals refer to their homeland as “ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ”, a name with linguistic and historical roots that long predate modern borders. Citizens are formally known in English as Maldivan, a demonym that appears in passports, official documents, and international reporting. Economically, the Maldivian rufiyaa (.ރ) is the medium of exchange used by households and businesses, with exchange rates monitored by the country's central monetary authority.
Quick facts at a glance
- 🏙️ CapitalMalé
- 📛 Official nameRepublic of the Maldives
- 🗣️ Native nameދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ
- 🧑 DemonymMaldivan
- 📍 RegionSouth Asia
- 🌐 SubregionSouthern Asia
- 📐 Area300 km²
- 👥 Population515 thousand
- 🌡️ ClimateIndian Ocean atolls · Tropical & humid
- 🗺️ Land borders0
- 💬 LanguageMaldivian
- 💰 CurrencyMaldivian rufiyaa (.ރ)
- 📞 Calling code+960
- 🌐 Internet TLD.mv
- 🚗 Drives onleft side
- 🕐 Time zoneUTC+05:00
- 🇺🇳 UN memberYes
Practical travel & daily-life info
Visitors planning a trip to Maldives should familiarise themselves with the capital, Malé, the local time zone (UTC+05:00), the local currency (Maldivian rufiyaa). The international dialling prefix is +960, which is required when phoning a Maldives number from abroad. Vehicles drive on the left side of the road, an important detail for anyone renting a car or crossing a land border by vehicle. The country's top-level internet domain is .mv, used by local businesses, government sites, and many news organisations. The working week traditionally starts on Sunday, which affects business hours, banking, and public holidays.
Government & global standing
Maldives is recognised internationally as a sovereign, independent state. It is a member state of the United Nations, participating in the General Assembly and various specialised UN agencies. On the global stage, Maldives is generally classified within the Asia region and more specifically the Southern Asia subregion, alongside neighbouring states with shared geographic, historical, or economic ties. GlobeIQ groups it under "South Asia" for the purposes of the game's regional hint.
Did you know?
No point rises above 2.4 metres — the lowest maximum elevation on the planet — making this island nation most vulnerable to rising seas.
Maldives in the GlobeIQ atlas
Inside the GlobeIQ game, Maldives appears as a tougher puzzle reserved for geography fans who can pick up subtler hints. When the daily puzzle selects this country, players progressively unlock six hints — silhouette, climate and terrain, number of land borders, region, "known for" tagline, and finally the capital city — before a flag reveal confirms the answer. On its trophy card, Maldives carries the personality tags “🏖️ Ocean Paradise” and “🌊 Sinking Nation”, short flavour labels chosen to evoke the country's most recognisable cultural signatures. Adding Maldives to your personal atlas is one of 195 small wins on the road to a complete world map. Each correctly guessed nation also contributes to your running streak and unlocks milestone celebrations at 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 collected countries.