The history of the Maldives is intertwined with the history of the broader Indian subcontinent and the surrounding regions,comprising the areas of South Asia and the Indian Ocean. The modern nation is formed of 26 natural atolls,comprising 1194 islands. Historically,the Maldives has held strategic importance due to its location on the major marine routes of the Indian Ocean. The Maldives's nearest neighbors are the British Indian Ocean Territory,Sri Lanka and India. The United Kingdom,Sri Lanka,and some Indian kingdoms have had cultural and economic ties with the Maldives for centuries. In addition to these countries,Maldivians also traded with Aceh and many other kingdoms in what is today Indonesia and Malaysia. The Maldives provided the primary source of cowrie shells,which were then used as currency throughout Asia and parts of the East African coast. Most likely,the Maldives were influenced by the Kalingas of ancient India. The Kalingas were the earliest region of India to trade with Sri Lanka and the Maldives and were responsible for the spread of Buddhism. Stashes of Chinese crockery found buried in various locations in the Maldives also show that there was direct or indirect trade contact between China and the Maldives. In 1411 and 1430,the Chinese admiral Zheng He (鄭和) visited the Maldives. The Chinese also became the first country to establish a diplomatic office in the Maldives when the Chinese nationalist government based in Taipei opened an embassy in Maléin 1966. The Embassy of the People's Republic of China has since replaced this office.
Maldives National Defence Force is the national military responsible for defending the security and sovereignty of the Maldives. It is primarily responsible per the constitution to defend and protect the Republic,its territorial integrity,its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the people. Its branches include the Maldivian Coast Guard,the MNDF Marine Corps,and MNDF Air Corps.
Mohamed Nasheed GCSK,also known as Anni,is a Maldivian politician and activist who served as president of the Maldives from 2008 until his resignation in 2012. A founding member of the Maldivian Democratic Party,he subsequently served as the 19th speaker of the People's Majlis from May 2019 until his resignation in November 2023. He is the first democratically elected president of the Maldives and the only president to resign from office. He is currently a member of The Democrats.
The president of the Republic of Maldives is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Maldives and the commander-in-chief of the Maldives National Defence Force.
Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik is a Maldivian politician who served as president of the Maldives from 7 February 2012 to 17 November 2013,having succeeded to the office following the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed,under whom he served as Vice President. He had previously worked as a news anchor,a teacher,a principle,a United Nations international civil servant with UNICEF,UNDP and UNESCO,and as member of the Maldivian Parliament.
Qasim Ibrahim,also known as Burumaa Qasim,is a Maldivian politician,business magnate and philanthropist. As the chairman and founder of the Villa Group,he is one of the country's wealthiest businessmen,with a net worth of around MVR 18 billion.
Ahmed Shaheed is a Maldivian diplomat,politician and professor. On 24 March 2016,he was appointed for the sixth year running as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Shaheed is also the Chairperson of the Geneva-based international human rights think-tank,Universal Rights Group,which was launched in January 2014. He now lives in England as a Professor of Human Rights Practice at the University of Essex. Shaheed is also a Senior Fellow at Raoul Wallenberg Human Rights Centre and a Fellow at the Bonavero Institute of Human rights at the University of Oxford.
Ibrahim Hussein Zaki,is a politician of the Maldives.
The Cabinet of the Maldives is the most senior level of the executive branch of the Government of the Maldives. It is made up of the President,the Vice President,Attorney General and the Ministers.
The Progressive Party of Maldives,is a political party in the Maldives with a total membership of 35,044 as of 25 April 2024. The stated goal of the party is driving Maldives towards an independent and democratic,safe and secure,high income,high human capital,developed nation state with a diversified and robust economy whilst preserving its Islamic heritage.
Presidential elections were held in the Maldives on 7,9 and 16 November 2013. The first round was held on 7 September. As no candidate received a majority,a second round was planned to be held in 28 September between the candidates who received the most votes in the first round,former President Mohamed Nasheed and Abdulla Yameen,paternal half-brother of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Incumbent President Mohammed Waheed Hassan was eliminated in the first round after receiving less votes than three other candidates.
The 2011–2013 Maldives political crisis began as a series of peaceful protests that broke out in the Maldives on 1 May 2011. They would continue,eventually escalating into the resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed in disputed circumstances in February 2012. Demonstrators were protesting what they considered the government's mismanagement of the economy and were calling for the ouster of President Nasheed. The main political opposition party in the country,the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party led by the former president of the country Maumoon Abdul Gayoom accused President Nasheed of "talking about democracy but not putting it into practice." The protests occurred during the Arab Spring.
Ali Ahusan Ihusan is a Maldivian Journalist,a self-employed web designer and the owner of Islamic publications;Dhiislam Magazine and Dhiislam Online news. He also was a member of Maldives Media Council from 2018 to 2020.
Husnu Al Suood born in Meedhoo is a Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Maldives since 8 December 2019. He was the Attorney General of the Maldives from June 2009 to August 2010. He served as the Chief Judge of the Civil Court and as a member of the Judicial Service Commission of Maldives. He also served as a member of the National Human Rights Commission of the Maldives from 2003 to 2005. As a member of the Special Majlis,Suood participated in drafting the current constitution of the Republic of Maldives.
Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom is a Maldivian politician who served as president of the Maldives from 2013 to 2018.
Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor is a Maldivian politician who briefly served as Vice President of Maldives in 2015. Prior to his appointment on 22 July 2015,he served as the Minister of Tourism,Arts and Culture.
Maafushi Prison is a prison in Maafushi on Kaafu Atoll in the Maldives,18 miles (29 km) south of the capital,Malé. It is the largest prison on the islands and has held numerous political prisoners over the years,including former presidents like Mohamed Nasheed and Abdulla Yameen.
A political crisis in the Maldives intensified on after President Abdulla Yameen decided to disobey the Supreme Court order to release 9 political prisoners and reinstating 12 parliament members which will give the opposition (MDP) control of the chamber and potentially paving the way for Yameen's impeachment.
Presidential elections were held in the Maldives on Sunday,23 September 2018. Incumbent president Abdulla Yameen of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) was seeking re-election for a second five-year term. His only challenger was Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP),who was nominated as the joint candidate of a coalition of opposition parties.
