Joanna James
As one of the world's leading beach holiday hubs, countless tourists head to the Maldives throughout the calendar year. Despite its popularity, there are fascinating facts about the island nation that most visitors are unaware of. Here are 5 crucial facts everyone should know about the country.
The Maldives is not only one of the most beautiful destinations on the planet but it is also the world's flattest nation. With a Guinness World Record proclaiming its status as the country with the lowest altitude on the globe, the elevation of the Maldivian islands is no more than 2.4 metres. That's several metres lower than other beach paradises on the Indian Ocean including neighbouring Sri Lanka. The short distance between the sea level and land has presented several serious ecological issues for the archipelago.
Although political gatherings hardly make a destination unique from all others, the fact that a Maldivian cabinet meeting took place underwater does distinguish the country from similar beach hubs. The hallow event took centre stage in 2009 when the Maldivian government decided to host a cabinet meeting in the heart of the sea. The parliamentarians donned wet suits and scuba diving gear to replace the suits and ties and carried oxygen tanks on their back. The event made quite a splash in media circles, as was the intent of the local government, as this meeting was staged to bring awareness to the cost of global warming on low-altitude nations.
The world's largest fish species, whale sharks are found in great numbers in the Maldives. Although most travellers are aware of the large number of marine creatures that occupy the waters off the coast of the Maldives, they are unaware that the Maldives is one location where these majestic creatures can be spotted all year long. Diving expeditions in the Maldives not only allow one to spot whale sharks but also swim alongside them. Those who are based at Hard Rock Hotel Maldives or any other property that boasts Maldives 5-star resort amenities will find that whale shark encounters are among the top experiences available through local operators.
Although the term "island nation" is used to describe a plethora of beach capitals around the world, the Maldives is one of the few countries that quite literally live up to the name. As a collection of more than 1190 coral islands that are divided into 26 atolls, the geography of the Maldives is as unusual as it is spectacular.
Global warming and the negative effects of climate change have threatened the geographical survival and integrity of the Maldives for decades due to its low-lying altitude. Scientists and environmentalists have been warning the local government that the islands could be completely submerged in the future if sea levels continue to rise at the current rate.
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