Contents
Key Facts
| Date of Independence: |
| 26 July 1965 |
| Capital City: |
| Malé |
| Total Area Ranking: |
| 209 of 236 in the World |
| Population Size Ranking: |
| 179 of 242 in the World |
| Status: |
| current |
The Country
Geography
Maldives is an island nation in the Indian Ocean. Its nearest neighbours are Indian and Sri Lanka to the north, Indonesia to the east, British Indian Ocean Territory to the south and Seychelles to the west.
The country comprises a double chain of 26 atolls, running north-south. These atolls are made up from live coral reefs and sand bars, which lie along a submarine ridge that rises from the Indian Ocean floor. The largest island is called Gan. Maldives is the lowest country in the world, with the average natural ground level being only 1.5 m (4.9 ft) above sea level. The land area is 298 square kilometres (115 square miles).
The country has a population of 328,500 (2012 figures). The population is made up of 69% Dhivehis, and 31% Foreign workers (mostly South Asian). In terms of religion, 100% of the native population is Muslim, with Hindism, Buddhism and Christianity widely practiced by the foreign workers. The capital is Malé.
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National History
Timeline – Key Dates in Maldivian History
Further National Information
BBC News Profile: Maldives
wikipedia: Maldives
wikipedia: History of Maldives
Aviation
Text to be added on the development of aviation in the Maldives.
Markings
Civil Aircraft Registrations:
Maldives civil aircraft have used the registration prefix 8Q-xx since 1976, with the registration in numbers not letters.
All-time Maldives – civil aircraft register (8Q-aaa).
[Get involved with the Aeroflight Cloud.]
Aircraft Operators
Military Air Arms
Defence Aviation (Maldives National Defence Force Air Wing)
Central Government Agencies
Coast Guard Aviation (Maldivian Coast Guard) – no aviation branch
Public Service Aviation
Medical Aviation – no helicopter EMS service available
Police Aviation (Maldives Police Service) – no aviation branch
Commercial Aviation
Trans Maldivian
Maldivian Air Taxi
Maldivian
wikipedia: Airlines of Maldives
The World’s Airlines: Maldives
Private Aviation
To be added
Industry
Aircraft Manufacturers
None known.
Aircraft Maintenance/Repair Depots
None known.
Airfields
Civil Airports & Airfields
Airports in Maldives
Maldives Airports Co.
Military Air Bases & Airfields
Military Air Bases Listing – to be added.
On Show
Aviation Museums
None known.
Airshow Dates
More Information
Aviation-Related Magazines
No Maldivian aviation magazines known.
Aviation Bibliography
Maldivian Aviation Bibliography – to be added