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Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, is a small archipelagic state in South Asia situated in the Indian Ocean. It lies southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about 700 kilometres (430 mi) from the Asian continent's mainland. The chain of 26 atolls stretches from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to Addu Atoll in the south (across the Equator). Comprising a territory spanning roughly 298 square kilometres (115 sq mi), Maldives is one of the world's most geographically dispersed sovereign states as well as the smallest Asian country by land area and, with around 557,426 inhabitants, the 2nd least populous country in Asia. Malé is the capital and the most populated city, traditionally called the "King's Island" where the ancient royal dynasties ruled for its central location.The Maldivian Archipelago is located on the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge, a vast submarine mountain range in the Indian Ocean; this also forms a terrestrial ecoregion, together with the Chagos Archipelago and Lakshadweep. With an average ground-level elevation of 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) above sea level, and a highest natural point of only 5.1 metres (17 ft), it is the world's lowest-lying country.

In the 12th century Islam reached the Maldivian Archipelago, which was consolidated as a sultanate, developing strong commercial and cultural ties with Asia and Africa. From the mid-16th-century the region came under the increasing influence of European colonial powers, with Maldives becoming a British protectorate in 1887. Independence from the United Kingdom came in 1965, and a presidential republic was established in 1968 with an elected People's Majlis. The ensuing decades have seen political instability, efforts at democratic reform, and environmental challenges posed by climate change.Maldives became a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). It is also a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement. The World Bank classifies the Maldives as having an upper-middle income economy. Fishing has historically been the dominant economic activity, and remains the largest sector by far, followed by the rapidly growing tourism industry. Maldives rate "high" on the Human Development Index, with per-capita income significantly higher than other SAARC nations.Maldives was a member of the Commonwealth from July 1982 until withdrawing from the organisation in October 2016 in protest at allegations by the other nations of its human rights abuses and failing democracy. The Maldives rejoined the Commonwealth on 1 February 2020 after showing evidence of functioning democratic processes and popular support.

Foods in  Maldives :

(1) Bis keemiya (samosa) :

Imagine a curry puff had a ménage a trois with a samosa and a spring roll, and you’re halfway to what a bis keemiya is. Stuffed with gently sautéed, shredded cabbage, hardboiled eggs and spiced onions, the pastry is light and flaky, and delightfully chewy. They’re also way too easy to make for something this tasty. New party snack anyone? Try this recipe  and you'll see why they're an impressive and easy treat.

(2) Boshi mashuni (banana flower salad) : 

Somewhere between a salad and a salsa, boshi mashuni is a blend of shredded, blanched (but still crunchy) banana flowers, fresh coconut and spices. It’s zingy with lime, hot with onion and Maldivian chilli (you can of course use regular chillies, just make sure they’re hot ones like bird’s eyes), with a savoury background thanks to curry leaves, turmeric and cumin. Find  this recipe here and be blown away by the fact that it’s also pretty much a health food, which frankly feels irrelevant with something this gorgeous to eat.

(3) Garudhiya (fragrant fish soup) : 

If you’re a fan of miso or dashi, then you definitely need to give this recipe a go. It’s a traditional Maldivian fish soup spiked with spices and citrus. Fresh tuna is the primary component, providing that all-important umami flavour to the soup. Cubes of fish are cooked up with water and curry leaves, onion, garlic and chilli, and then the whole lot is seasoned with crunchy fried onions and a spritz of lime. It’s ridiculously simple, but somehow manages to be both the perfect winter-warmer and clean, fresh soup for summer. How? Maldivian magic, and you'll find it in  this recipe here.

(4) Huni roshi (chapati bread) : 

Given its close proximity to Sri Lanka, where pol roti is a staple, it makes sense that the Maldives would have its own version of coconut bread. Huni roshi are flatbreads flecked with coconut which are fried until crisp on the outside and soft and chewy within (if you’re lucky they’ll even puff up like a pitta when you fry them). The coconut lends both texture and gentle flavour. Serve these alongside all of the above.

(5) Saagu bondibai (sago pudding) :

When was the last time you had sago? The 1940s? Same here. But in the Maldives, these little starchy spheres are a major component of people’s diets, derived as they are from the spongy cores of tropical palm stems. As soon as you try saagu bondibai, you’ll see why sago is still so popular in Maldivian households. Warmed with coconut milk, cardamom and rose, and laced with creamy condensed milk, it’s the kind of dessert you could drink by the bucket-load if only that wasn’t a hideous thing to do (we won’t tell anyone if you won’t). Try it for yourself with this recipe here, and you'll see what we mean.

Weather & geography in  Maldives :

The Maldives has a year-round hot tropical climate. The Maldives has two distinct and dominating seasons: a dry season (November to April), punctuated with northeast winter monsoons, and a wet season (May to October) associated with southwest monsoons and strong winds.

Per day Cost in  Maldives :

You should plan to spend around MVR3,698 ($240) per day on your vacation in the Maldives, which is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors. Past travelers have spent, on average, MVR964 ($63) on meals for one day and MVR1,712 ($111) on local transportation.

History of  Maldives :

The Maldives (formerly called the Maldive Islands) were first settled in the 5th century B.C. by Buddhist seafarers from India and Sri Lanka. According to tradition, Islam was adopted in 1153. Originally, the islands were under the suzerainty of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). They came under British protection in 1887 and were a dependency of then-colony Ceylon until 1948. An independence agreement with Britain was signed July 26, 1965. For centuries a sultanate, the islands adopted a republican form of government in 1952, but the sultanate was restored in 1954. In 1968, however, as the result of a referendum, a republic was again established in the recently independent country. Ibrahim Nasir, the authoritarian president since 1968, was removed from office and replaced by the more progressive Maumoon Abdul Gayoom in 1978. Gayoom was elected to a sixth five-year term in 2003.