But to the question: - Where are the Maldives? not everyone will be able to give the correct answer. Meanwhile, finding their location is not at all difficult. Pick up a map and find the Indian Ocean. Two parallel chains of islands, to the southwest of India and near the equator, are the coveted Maldives.

A little geography

Exotic coral islands stretch from north to south for 820 kilometers. The total area of ​​the Maldives is 90 thousand square kilometers, but only 298 square kilometers are allocated to land, the rest of the territory is occupied by the sea. The coral atolls comprise 1,192 stunning islands, of which 994 are uninhabited.

Population paradise country is 393 thousand people who settled on two hundred islands. About half of them hospitably welcome tourists from all over the world, who know very well where the Maldives are on the world map and strive to come here as often as possible. The islands are very small, several square kilometers, so there is no more than one hotel on each of them. Blue transparent lagoons, amazing sandy beaches, unique vegetation and the highest level of service make your holiday here delightful and unforgettable.

Weather

Where are the Maldives? Where there is no winter. The subequatorial monsoon climate provides average annual temperature 24-30 degrees. From November to March there is dry, warm weather and the thermometer does not drop below 17 degrees. There are rains, rough seas and temperatures of 30-32 degrees. It's nice to swim here all year round, because the water temperature constantly remains at the same level - 24-27 degrees.

Flora and fauna

A distinctive feature of the animal world is the complete absence of poisonous reptiles. And you don’t even have to worry about a dog bite here; keeping these animals is prohibited by law. But quite a short distance from the shore you can see a huge whale shark, but, as you know, giants feed only on plankton, so those who want to swim can do so without fear.

Fans of exotic fruits simply need to know where the Maldives are, because there are a great variety of them here. The unique climate allows you not to lack vitamins all year round.

Coconuts, bananas, mangoes, papaya, and pineapples delight tourists and natives with their juicy pulp. Everywhere the delicate aroma of orchids, hibiscus, roses, their variety and variety amazes the imagination.

Calmness, silence and complete unity with nature allow you to completely detach yourself from existing problems and give yourself a good rest.

Smallest capital

The city of Male is recognized as the smallest capital in the world, because it covers an area of ​​only 2.5 square kilometers. It's tiny cozy town, whose main attractions are the Good Friday Mosque with its glittering golden dome, located in Sultan Park National Museum, Presidential palace and the legendary burial places of Maldivian saints. There are no noisy entertainment venues here, but you can stroll along the picturesque embankment, enjoy the aroma of flowers in a shady park, and visit unique vegetable and craft markets. Everything in this country is subject to the laws of nature, and, probably, sometimes it’s even good to take a break from the hustle and bustle of big cities in such a cozy and calm place.

Visa and customs control

Where the Maldives is located is well known to those who have visited this wonderful exotic corner and will probably visit it again.

To travel here you do not need to visit consular offices -.

You can vacation here for 30 days, this is exactly the period indicated on the tourist visa, which is placed in your passport free of charge upon arrival in the country. Customs can check whether you comply with the rules that prohibit import:

  • drugs;
  • pork products;
  • animals;
  • alcohol;
  • anti-Islamic literature;
  • pornographic products;
  • military attributes.

Moreover, when going to exotic holiday, it should be remembered that in this Muslim country nudism and toplessness are prohibited, and when visiting the capital and areas where aborigines live, women should not wear beachwear; knees and shoulders must be covered.

The attractiveness of the Maldives

Important for local residents and the prohibitions and restrictions that are not at all burdensome for us in no way detract from the advantages of relaxing in this fairyland. Now you know that the Maldives is where the transparency of warm waters is Indian Ocean, Exotic fruits and the aroma of exquisite flowers, spreading palm trees and schools of colorful fish, calm silence and solitude on a small colorful island in the middle of the ocean expanse. The Maldives is paradise on earth, pleasure and bliss that you can give yourself.

The Republic of Maldives is an island state in Indian Ocean.

The archipelago of the Maldives is located at the junction of the Arabian and Laccadive Seas, five hundred kilometers southwest of the southern tip of the Hindustan Peninsula. Detailed map The Maldives shows that the country occupies 27 atoll formations consisting of 1,192 individual coral islets.

The Maldives cannot boast of large size. The largest is Gan Island, but its area is less than 10 km2. Most of the islands of the archipelago do not exceed several hundred square meters.

Maldives on the world map: geography, nature and climate

If you look at the Maldives on a world map, you will notice that southern part countries are crossed by the equator line. Although the length of the archipelago is about 750 km from north to south and 130 km from west to east, the total area of ​​its islands is only 298 km 2. The atolls of the Maldives can cover hundreds of km2, but are ring-shaped. And the majority large islands located on the outer sides of the atoll rings.

The coastline of the Maldives is 644 km. Due to its remoteness from the coasts of the continent, the country has neither land nor sea neighbors.

Geographical position

The Maldives are the peaks of the underwater Chagos-Laccadive Ridge, which stretches for almost 2,500 km. However, the Maldives is not represented by volcanic rocks. All the islands of the archipelago consist of sand and coral formations. Therefore, the Maldives is considered the lowest located state on the planet.

The most high point The country is located on the island of Gan and is only 2.4 meters above sea level. Most of the archipelago is uninhabited. Only about 200 islands are inhabited. Due to the large extent of the Maldives, there are several large straits separating groups of atolls. On the map of the Maldives in Russian you can find the largest of them - the Equatorial Strait. Its width is about 95 km and its depth exceeds 2500 m.

Animal and plant life

Due to the small size of the islands and the dense population of the largest of them, the terrestrial flora and fauna of the archipelago is not rich. Several varieties of palm trees and rare mangrove forests are all that the Maldives can boast of. Animal world The islands are also not very diverse - Achatina, hermit crabs, gray herons and flying foxes. But the underwater world of the country is incomparably richer.

Hundreds of giant living coral ecosystems contain about 200 species of corals, more than 1,000 species of fish, 250 varieties of crustaceans and up to five thousand species of mollusks and echinoderms. The local fauna also boasts two dozen species of various whales and dolphins. The straits between the atolls are abundantly populated with plankton.

Climate

The subequatorial climate of the Maldives is formed by the seasonal northeast monsoons. average temperature throughout the year it is approximately the same - from 23-30°C. Although there are no clearly defined seasons in the country, spring is somewhat hotter and drier. With the arrival of the monsoons, the temperature and humidity rise slightly. The average rainfall is about 2000 mm per year.

Map of the Maldives with cities. Administrative division of the country

The Maldives is divided into 21 administrative divisions. Together they form 8 regions, formed according to the principle of geographical proximity. The country's population is about 405,000 people. A map of the Maldives with cities in Russian demonstrates that, despite its small area, this makes the Maldives one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The average population density here is 1135 people per km 2.

Male- capital and The largest city countries. Located in the central part of the Maldives. Almost a quarter of the archipelago's population lives here. Included in the list of the most densely populated cities of the world and occupies the entire territory of the island of the same name, the area of ​​which does not exceed 6 km 2.

Kuramati Island located 50 km west of the capital. Despite its small size, the island is the most popular tourist center countries.

Eidhafushi- one of the largest inhabited islands of the Maldives. Located in the northern part of the archipelago, 100 km northwest of Male. Notable for its absolute height of 0 meters above sea level.

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Where are the Maldives on the world map and the Indian Ocean

We often hear that the most best vacation- a vacation on the islands. And you know, anyone who has vacationed on the islands will definitely confirm this. It is beautiful there, gorgeous beaches, far from the “main” land, no noise, clean air... there are a lot of advantages and advantages, but there are few islands. One of the most beloved and visited are the Maldives. On the world map you need to look for them in the Indian Ocean, south of India. The capital of the atolls is Male, and the population does not exceed half a million inhabitants.

Geography: where are the Maldives?

As we have already written, the Maldives are located in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka is approximately 700 kilometers away. About the same distance to the coast of India.
The Republic of Maldives is a chain of 26 atolls, and they in turn consist of 1192 coral islands. Surprisingly, the Maldives is the lowest located state! The highest point is located at an altitude of approximately 2.4 meters above sea level. That is, in fact, any medium wave can easily flood the entire state.
The capital of the islands is Male. This is generally the only city on the islands. Most of the inhabitants of the archipelago live here.

As we said, the closest neighbors are Sri Lanka and India. And then there is only a huge endless ocean! The coast of Africa is almost five thousand kilometers, and Australia is even more, about seven thousand kilometers.

Climate and weather

Thanks to his geographical location, the Maldives is hot all year round. The air temperature ranges from +24 to +30 degrees depending on the month. The lowest temperature is recorded in winter, when at night the air can cool down to +17, and the highest temperature occurs in May, and it is +32 degrees.
The dry season lasts from November to March, and the rainy season runs from June to August.

Undersea world

The underwater world off the coast of the Maldives is very diverse. Of course, this is the Indian Ocean!
Coral reefs are home to more than 1,100 species of fish. There are five species of sea turtles, 21 species of whales and dolphins and many, many other marine inhabitants.
No wonder this place is so loved by diving enthusiasts. Any diving off the coast of the Maldives is always a beautiful adventure and incredible views. A lot of interesting and scientific videos are filmed here. Expeditions take place here all the time. If you are coming here on vacation, then at least once, it is worth diving under the water with scuba diving.

A third of the islands' entire economy comes from tourism, which accounts for 28% of the state's total GDP
- the state sells its products for 125 million dollars, and buys other products for 1.2 billion dollars
- Most of the export is fish. This product accounts for about 70% of all sales
- any island in the Maldives can be crossed on foot in two hours
- many of the islands of the archipelago are uninhabited

- one of the most popular places for tourists. These are small pieces of land surrounded by the ocean. Many people are interested where are the Maldives located on the world map. To be precise, they are located 700 km southwest of the island of Sri Lanka. This is a chain of 20 atolls and more than 1000 small coral islets. On the map it is clear that all this is located in the Indian Ocean, and in a ratio of 1:99, where the first is land, the second, respectively, water. Why are these islands so popular? The sun always shines there, in the soft light sandy beaches The azure sea splashes. The Maldives are especially appreciated by surfers, explorers underwater world and exotic tourism. The service here is excellent, but the prices are such that not every travel lover can afford it.
between December and March. At this time, there are no tropical rains (although there are fans of this phenomenon) and the sea is turquoise, and the beach is snow-white, as in many famous photographs circulating on the Internet. Due to tropical rains and monsoons they rise big waves and it is impossible to swim in the sea, so if you want to get into a fairy tale from advertising brochures, then your choice is any days from December to March. Rains, however, do not interfere with excursions, so those people who do not swim for some reason can relax and save a lot. Prices are also falling for air travel. Weather in the Maldives in view of them unusual location on the map varies greatly over the course of a year. Winter is the warmest, so prices increase by 30% and above.
The Maldives attracts representatives of a variety of nations: Russians, Germans, English, Italians, Asians, and others, but all of them here have average incomes and above. The exception is scuba divers - they can rent the cheapest apartments, which will not prevent them from doing what they love. There are no strong differences between tourists here - both family people and single people come here for different types recreation. The island should be chosen based on the purpose of the trip. Large hotel usually occupies the entire area. It’s better for newlyweds to go to - here there is a separate beach for each bungalow, for families with children it’s better to go to Villahohi, for lovers of parties and noisy entertainment - Nalaguraida, and for a beach holiday the island of Kani is suitable.
What a tourist needs to know:
Bringing alcohol to the Maldives is prohibited. It can only be consumed in hotel bars and restaurants, as citizens of the Maldives are prohibited from selling alcohol;
Dogs are also prohibited here. There are none here at all, and it is prohibited to fly on vacation with dogs;
The state is Islamic;
The national language is Dhivehi. English language no one outside the tourist areas knows;
The only airport on the island of Hulele, there are boats and boats to the other islands;
You can pay in dollars and euros, credit cards are also accepted;
Many people come here to celebrate a wedding - this can be done underwater, on board a seaplane, and even underwater;
The cheapest round-trip flights per person from Moscow to Male will cost approximately $420;
Tourists can study, or they can simply book excursions to the sights of the islands;
Here you can try all kinds of exotic fish - either buy it at the market or catch it yourself and cook it at the hotel, as well as national dishes - a “mixture” of Indian and Arabic cuisine. Favorite foods here are coconut and tuna;
It is best to buy souvenirs at a bazaar or market - they sell interesting goods from Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.
Maldives on the map deservedly occupy their prominent place and enjoy honor and popularity among wealthy tourists - there is always excellent service, fabulous beaches and the sea, the opportunity to engage in active “water” hobbies - diving and surfing.

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This small country is located on 20 atolls in the equatorial Indian Ocean. The Islamic Republic is separated from India by more than 2,000 km. The distance to Sri Lanka is significantly less: if you look at the Maldives on the world map, you can see that the states are approximately 700 km apart from each other.

Information about the islands

The state of the Maldives is formed by almost 2000 coral islets. About 400 thousand people live here, and the dominant religion is Islam. The total area of ​​the Republic of Maldives is 90 thousand km 2, but the land share of it accounts for no more than 300 km 2.

Interestingly, the only city and port of the country is its capital Male, located on the atoll of the same name. The remaining islands are almost uninhabited and only occasionally there are hotels on them.

The time in the Maldives is UTC +5, so when flying you should prepare in advance for a change in time zones.

Weather by month in the Maldives

The climate is determined by where exactly the Maldives is located. It belongs to the subequatorial monsoon type, so the weather is radically different in the dry and rainy seasons. Depending on the month of your trip, you will have to prepare for the following:

    January. A trip to the islands this month will definitely be successful thanks to the warm, sunny and windless weather and the calm that reigns in the ocean. Although January is technically the rainy season, there is minimal precipitation, which guarantees a wonderful beach holiday and the opportunity to go diving. During the daytime, the thermometer rises to at least +24 °C, and the water temperature averages +27 °C.

    February. Crowds of vacationers usually flock here at this time. The ocean continues to delight with a comfortable water temperature of +25 °C, and daytime air temperatures rarely fall below +28 °C. There are practically no waves, and the sky is perfectly blue and cloudless. Therefore, even inexperienced divers can begin to learn the intricacies of diving, and the almost complete absence of precipitation allows you to have fun on a yacht or catamaran.

    March. This month is also considered quite hot and dry, and the average air and water temperatures differ little from February. The sand remains very warm, and there are practically no tropical showers. March sees plenty of native flora bloom, but be prepared for the occasional sandstorm.

    April. At this time, the southwest monsoon arrives in the Maldives, bringing with it a change in weather. Storms in the ocean are rare, the heat is increasing, but rain is still an infrequent visitor here. If you cannot stand the stuffiness, you should postpone your trip: the air temperature is generally +30 °C, and the water temperature reaches +28 °C.

    May. Very strong winds begin to blow, sometimes turning into hurricanes. There is significantly more precipitation: approximately half of the days in May are rainy. At the same time, the weather constantly brings surprises. The sun gives way to heavy rain and vice versa.

    June. This month continues the May trend as the southwest monsoon takes over. There are very strong gusts of warm wind. In June, the Maldives receives maximum rainfall, typical for of this region, however, their number rarely exceeds 200 mm. Ocean waves sometimes reach gigantic sizes. The thermometer stays at an average of +30 °C, and the water temperature in the ocean is +27 °C.

    July. At this time, the islands are not very comfortable due to frequent rains. However, they quickly end, and soon the sky partially clears and the sun peeks through the clouds. In July, approximately 160 mm of precipitation falls, and the air temperature is +31 °C. In water, the thermometer usually shows +27 °C. Thunderstorms are possible, during which it feels cool.

    August. This month is considered the most changeable on the islands. In early August, the sea is quite warm and calm, winds and hurricanes practically stop. It rains relatively rarely, and the atolls are still hot. But already at the end of the month the sky becomes increasingly cloudy, it rains often, and the wind gets stronger.

    September. Both day and night, the weather remains mostly warm, and the sweltering heat recedes. Humidity remains quite high, and precipitation falls up to 200 mm. The average number of rainy days in September is 15-16. The rains are often accompanied by strong thunderstorms, but the ocean remains quite warm with water temperatures of approximately +27 °C.

    October. The air temperature drops slightly to +27-29 °C, and the water temperature drops to +26 °C, which does not interfere with swimming at all. It rains much less often: usually no more than 100 mm of precipitation falls.

    November. This month the northeast monsoon arrives in the Maldives, bringing with it warm and dry weather. Winds and rains rarely bother tourists, and the average thermometer shows +28 °C. The water warms up to +25 °C.

    December. At this time of year, everything is in bloom on the islands, so they turn into a real tropical paradise. Daytime temperatures rise to +30-32 °C, and the water temperature in the ocean rarely drops below +25 °C.

How to get to the Maldives

Any guidebook where you will find everything you wanted to know about the Maldives will indicate that the connection island state with the mainland is carried out exclusively by air. The country's only airport is located in the capital Male. You can get to it in the following ways:

    Direct flight from Aeroflot from Moscow. New Airbus A-330-200 aircraft fly from the Russian capital twice a week: on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If it is important for you to know how long it takes to fly from Moscow on such a direct flight, you will have to be patient: the flight duration is approximately 9 hours.

    Please note that when returning from the Maldives you will have to pay an airport tax of 10 USD - 15 USD, which is not always included in the air ticket price.

    Flight with connecting companies Qatar Airways(connection point - Doha), Singapore Airlines (connection point - Singapore) or Emirates Airlines(transfer point - Dubai). The cost of tickets for airliners of these air carriers already includes an airport tax.

    Connecting flight with Srilankan Airlines. To do this, you will first have to fly to Dubai or Colombo and purchase a ticket to Male at the local airport for 180 USD - 250 USD. This is the most a budget option flight for those who want to save money.

The average cost of a flight between the capitals of Russia and the Maldives ranges from 570 USD to 720 USD one way.

Maldives visa and customs clearance

Residents of Russia and the CIS countries do not need to obtain a visa to travel to the Maldives, since there is a visa-free agreement between the countries. However, given the sudden change in climate and the exotic nature of the region, it would not hurt to purchase a health insurance policy. Weekly insurance will cost approximately 25 USD - 45 USD.

It is very important to comply with the rules of customs legislation of the Republic of Maldives. They talk about the following:

  • You can import and export foreign currency in unlimited quantities.
  • Without paying a duty, 125 ml of perfume or cologne and 200 cigarettes are allowed to be imported, as well as no more than one item related to goods for personal use per passenger.
  • It is strictly forbidden to transport pork and meat products made from it, salami sausages, pornographic goods, narcotic substances, souvenirs made from a sea turtle shell or dark coral, as well as antiques found at the bottom of the ocean.

Be sure to note that the import and export of any alcoholic beverages in the Maldives is prohibited. Violation of this rule may result in arrest.

Cost of a holiday in the Maldives

Many Russian celebrities like Volochkova love to vacation in the Maldives. This is due to the very comfortable climate and reasonable prices for accommodation. If you are wondering how much a standard trip to the Maldives costs, please note that it depends on the following factors:

  • duration of the trip;
  • hotel category;
  • the island on which the hotel is located;
  • food and entertainment included in the price;
  • season.

The more services a hotel offers for vacationers (SPA, swimming pools, animation, sauna and much more), the more expensive the vacation will cost. If you are planning a trip of 7-8 days with a single or double room with half board and a minimum of entertainment, you will have to spend from 2600 USD to 5500 USD.

The wedding tour involves a romantic weekend for the newlyweds and will cost from 1750 USD to 2500 USD. The price includes room decoration, services of photographers and musicians, fruits, wine or champagne and an informal wedding ceremony. The all-inclusive tour is suitable for those who want to completely relax during their trip. Its price - from 3,500 USD to 7,000 USD for a week's stay in a 4 or 5 star hotel - includes three meals a day and free drinks throughout the entire stay.

Those looking to save money should pay attention to last-minute tours: they are usually 30% cheaper. Also at the most budget holiday in the Maldives for 8 days you will have to spend approximately 2000 USD if you book a room in an inexpensive three-star hotel without special amenities. The price includes airfare and medical insurance.

The Maldives is a real sunny paradise on earth, where you can easily recuperate after a long-awaited vacation.