7 Must-Know Facts You Have To Hear About The Maldives
Picture this: dreamy beaches, glistening waters, tropical views, sunshine and out of this world ocean villas.
Sounds good right?
They’re probably some of the things that spring to mind when you think of The Maldives. But we’ve collated some lesser known facts about these beautiful islands. So you’ll also be armed with trivia the next time you jet off.
There’s plenty of facts about The Maldives so let’s dive straight in. You might find these come in handy one day. Especially with the ever-increasing popularity of Zoom quizzes.
FACT 1: Let’s brush up on your geography
It’s always good to know a little bit of geography about your dream destination. It’s not widely acknowledged that the destination we know and love as The Maldives is actually made up of nearly 1,200 islands forming an archipelago in the Indian Ocean. These islands are divided into 26 natural atolls from north to south, spanning over 800km. You’ll see this description added to some of the resort names to make it easy to visualise their location. Only 200 of the islands are populated and around 200 are home to hotels and resorts. What about the rest? The remainder are either uninhabited or are used for government assets, airports and industry.
FACT 2: You’ll never look at the coconut tree in the same way again
Whilst us holidaymakers love the sight of a tropical coconut tree on a white sandy beach, that classic holiday snap is going to receive a lot of Insta-love. The coconut tree means more than this for The Maldivians, as it is widely esteemed and held in high regard on the islands. It’s grown in abundance and is a vital resource, acting as both a source of shade and timber. It has pride of place on both the national emblem and coat of arms.
FACT 3: The world’s largest fish calls The Maldives its home
You’ve definitely seen enough underwater shots from The Maldives capturing the stunning marine life and beautiful corals. But did you know the world’s largest fish, the whale shark is lucky enough to call the pristine waters its natural habitat. These huge creatures can grow up to 20 feet in length but don’t worry they’re friendly and not at all dangerous to humans.
FACT 4: The beaches are very special and we don’t just mean to look at
If you’ve ever been awestruck by the sight of a palm-lined white sandy beach in a magazine or on TV we’d guess that it’s probably been taken in The Maldives. The beaches here are certainly the stuff that dreams are made of and that’s not the only thing that makes them so special. They’re actually made of coral which makes them super soft and gives them that pure white colour. Most beaches are made from quartz so they really are distinctive and thoroughly deserve their reputation of being the best on earth.
FACT 5: More geographical fun for you
The Maldives holds the accolade of being both the lowest and flattest country in the world. On average the islands are only 1.5 metres above sea level with the natural coral reefs serving as a protective barrier against any sea swells.
FACT 6: It’s hot, hot hot
Being located so close to the equator means the islands bask in balmy temperatures all year round. But a word of warning for those visiting, this proximity to the equator means that due to the angles the sun’s rays are extremely powerful, so stock up on that factor 50 before you travel!
If all these facts have left you feeling hungry for more, simply click the button below to check out even more facts about the Maldives, including our top resort picks.
