Maldives

Key facts

Capital

Malé

Continent

Asia

Subregion

Southern Asia

Population

515,696

Land area

300 km²

ISO codes

MV / MDV

Languages

Maldivian

Coastline

Has a coastline

Currency

Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR)

Calling code

+960

Internet domain

.mv

How Maldives compares

Maldives ranks 166th of 194 countries on this site by population and 186th by land area — under 0.01% of their combined population. In Asia it ranks 45th of 46 by population and 46th by area. It has a coastline. It shares no land border with another country.

Countries by population · Countries by area

Flag of Maldives: colours

A pixel-accurate scan of the Maldives flag breaks down as 68.8% red, 29.7% green and 1.5% white.

• 68.8% red
• 29.7% green
• 1.5% white

Can you name a country from its colours alone? That is the whole idea behind the flag pie chart game.

Did you know?

1. Some coral islands are so low that a person on the beach can see both the open ocean and the inner lagoon at once.
2. Bodu Beru drumming — big drums, chanting, and dance — powers traditional celebrations on atolls across the archipelago.
3. The government once held an underwater cabinet meeting to dramatize rising sea levels threatening the nation's existence.
4. Dhivehi script, called Thaana, flows right to left and developed from Arabic numerals used as secret symbols by early scribes.
5. Traditionally, many Maldivians built homes from coral stone before modern materials became standard on populous islands.

Maldives: frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Maldives?

The capital of Maldives is Malé.

What continent is Maldives in?

Maldives is in Asia, specifically the Southern Asia subregion.

What is the population of Maldives?

Maldives has a population of roughly 515,696 people, across a land area of 300 km².

What language is spoken in Maldives?

The main language of Maldives is Maldivian.

Does Maldives share a land border with any country?

Maldives has no land borders — it is an island nation or is otherwise surrounded by water.