Maldives
Asia Β· Capital: MalΓ©
How it is run: Maldives is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Maldives is home to 529,676 people in Southern Asia, where people speak Maldivian.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
529,676 people
That is about 65 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
300 kmΒ²
Smaller than most big cities β you could cross it in an afternoon.
ποΈ How crowded
About 1,766 people share every square kilometre β very crowded, so cities grow upward with apartments.
π Size in its region
48th most people in Asia
49th largest by land in Asia.
π£οΈ Official languages
Maldivian
π° Money
Maldivian rufiyaa (.ή)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
81.3 years on average
One of the healthier countries β good hospitals and clean water make a big difference.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$14,615
An upper-middle-income country: growing cities, and more families joining the middle class.
π’ Living in cities
42.5% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
19% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+960
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.mv
π§ People here are called
Maldivan
π·οΈ Name at home
ήή¨ήή¬ήή¨ήή§ήή°ήήήή¬
Also written: Maldive Islands, Republic of the Maldives, Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyya.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Maldives has no land borders at all. It is surrounded by water, so boats and planes are the way in and out.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Maldivas
French
Maldives
Arabic
Ψ§ΩΩ Ψ§ΩΨ―ΩΩ
Chinese
马ε°δ»£ε€«
Japanese
γ’γ«γγ£γ
Russian
ΠΠ°Π»ΡΠ΄ΠΈΠ²Ρ
Portuguese
Maldivas
German
Malediven
Put it in perspective π
- India β the most populated country in Asia β has about 2763.7Γ as many people as Maldives.
- All of Maldives would fit inside one large national park in many other countries.
- If everyone in Maldives lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 265 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: The capital of Maldives is MalΓ© β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of the Maldives
ποΈ Capital
MalΓ©
π Region
Asia Β· Southern Asia
π€ Country code
MV
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Maldives π
π§ Where on the map
3.3Β° N, 73.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+5 β when it is noon in London it is about 17:00 in MalΓ©.
- Maldives is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Maldives shares its part of the world with Afghanistan. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- The capital of Maldives is MalΓ© β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- π²π» is the flag of Maldives. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is MV.
- Maldives is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Maldives has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Maldives can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Maldives spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Maldives?
MalΓ©
Which money do people spend in Maldives?
Maldivian rufiyaa (.ή)
How many countries share a land border with Maldives?
None β no land neighbours at all.
Roughly how many people live in Maldives?
529,676 people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.