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 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.
The Maldives has remained an independent nation throughout its recorded history,save for a brief spell of Portuguese occupation in the mid-16th century. From 1900 to 1965,the country was a British protectorate while retaining full internal sovereignty. At its independence in 1965,the Maldives joined the United Nations on 20 September.
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is a Maldivian statesman,diplomat and scholar who served as the 3rd president of the Maldives from 1978 to 2008. He previously served as the Minister of Transport from 1977 to 1978,and as the Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations from 1976 to 1977. After serving six presidential terms,Gayoom became the longest serving president in Asia.
Ibrahim Nasir Rannabandeyri Kilegefan,,commonly known as Ibrahim Nasir,was a Maldivian politician who adhered to the non-aligned ideology and was a staunch anti-imperialist. Nasir served as the Prime Minister of the Maldives from 1957 to 1968 under the monarchy,and later the first President of the Second Republic of Maldives from 1968 to 1978. Nasir served two terms,then he decided to retire,even though the People's Majlis voted him in for a third term. Nasir is remembered as an independence hero for guiding the Maldives to independence from the British Empire,he is also credited for establishing the tourism industry in the Maldives,as well as rapidly modernizing and developing the country and economy.
The Maldivian Democratic Party is the first political party formed in the Republic of Maldives with a total membership of 50,980 individuals as of July 28,2024.
The Constitution of the Maldives is the supreme law of the country of Maldives. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the Republic of Maldives,sets out the rights and duties of the citizens of the Maldives,and defines the structure of the Government of the Maldives. The current Constitution of the Maldives was ratified by the then president,Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom,on 7 August 2008,and came into effect immediately,replacing and repealing the Constitution of 1998.
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.
The 1988 Maldives coup d'état attempt was by a group of Sri Lankans and Maldivians led by businessman Abdullah Luthufee and assisted by armed mercenaries of a Tamil secessionist organization from Sri Lanka,the People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE),to overthrow the government in the island republic of Maldives. The attempt was thwarted with Indian assistance in Operation Cactus.
Presidential elections were held in the Maldives on 8 and 23 October 2008,the first democratic elections in the country. As no candidate won a majority in the first round,a runoff was held on 28 October between the two candidates among the contestants who received the most votes,incumbent president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Mohamed Nasheed,who received the second most votes after Gayoom in the first round. Nasheed was elected to the office after winning a majority in the runoff,unseating incumbent president Gayoom who held the office for six terms,lasting three decades.
New Maldives began as a group of young ministers who supported the presidency of President Gayoom and claimed to be working to usher in liberal democracy to the Maldives. Its most public proponent is Ahmed Shaheed,supported by Hassan Saeed and Mohamed Jameel Ahmed,who were serving as Foreign Minister,Attorney-General and Justice Minister,respectively. The New Maldives was launched in December 2005 in Colombo,Sri Lanka,and was initially used by the media as a pejorative term.
Abdulla Hameed,was a Maldivian politician. He was the Minister of Atolls during the administration of his brother Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Hameed was the Speaker of the Majlis from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 2004. He was a recipient of the Order of Distinguished Rule of Izzuddeen.
Ahmed Zahir,,commonly known as Seena Zahir is a Maldivian politician. He has served as Attorney General from February 1990 to March 1991,and as the Speaker of the People's Majlis,during the reign of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. He served as the speaker of People's Majlis from 2004 to 2008.
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.
Alhan Fahmy is a Maldivian politician who served as a parliament member of the 17th People's Majlis sitting of Maldives representing the Addu Atoll Feydhoo constituency representing the then opposition party Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party under the leadership of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.
Mariya Didi is a Maldivian barrister and politician who served as the Minister of Defense of the Maldives. After being the campaign manager for president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih during the 2018 elections,she was appointed the nation's first-ever female Minister of Defence.
Aneesa Ahmed,is a Maldivian women's rights activist who served as the Deputy Speaker of People's Majlis from 2004 to 2009.
Abdul Sattar Moosa Didi,was a Maldivian diplomat and politician. He was born in 1936. He died in November 2015 in Bangkok.
Ali Umar Maniku,was a Maldivian civil servant,cabinet minister and Vice President of the Maldives.
Ahmed Naseem,ORMD,often referred to as Kerafa Naseem,is a Maldivian politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Health from October 2020 to November 2023,and Minister of Foreign Affairs from March 2011 to February 2012. He was a Minister at the President's Office from 2018 to 2020.
Mohamed Hussain Shareef,commonly known as Mundhu,is an Maldivian politician who from February 2012 to November 2013 served as the Minister of Human Resources,Youth and Sports,under president Mohamed Waheed Hassan,and as the Ambassador of the Maldives to Japan from 2016 to 2017. He further served as the Ambassador of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,and is currently serving as the Ambassador of the Maldives to the United Arab Emirates since 2023.
