Maldives Fast Facts

As one would expect, there is great South Asian influence in some of the music and dancing and especially in the traditional food of the Maldivians. However, many of the South Asian customs, especially with regard to women - for instance the Indian tradition of secluding women from public view - are not tenets of life here. In fact, women play a major role in society - not surprising considering the fact that men spend the whole day out at sea, fishing. Many of the traditions are strongly related to the seas and the fact that life is dependent on the seas around us.

Language: ‘Dhivehi’ is the native language of the Maldives. However, English is widely spoken throughout the country, and in the resorts, a variety of languages including English, German, Italian, French and Japanese are spoken by the staff.

Economy: The Maldivian economy has been growing at an annual average of over 10 percent during the past two decades. Tourism, the main industry, contributes close to 20 percent of the GDP, and traditional fisheries and trade follow close behind.