Maldives – General info

Maldives – General information

The Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean and consists of around 1,190 individual coral islands that stretch from north to south along an almost 900 km long atoll chain. The islands are located about 500 km southwest of Sri Lanka and India.

Individual islands are surrounded by a house reef, while the outer reefs of the archipelagos each form an atoll. The highest natural elevation in the country is only about 2.4 m above sea level – making the Maldives the country with the lowest average terrain elevation in the world and one of the countries most threatened by sea level rise as a result of climate change. The Maldivian government has been internationally committed to climate protection for years and has repeatedly pointed out the country’s existential threat.

Population: around 530,000 to 600,000 inhabitants (as of 2026, depending on the source/counting method), a significant proportion of whom live in and around the capital Malé and on the neighboring, artificially raised island of Hulhumalé.

The common national language is Dhivehi, which is related to Sinhala and contains numerous Arabic loanwords. English is widely spoken in tourism, administration and business.

The state religion is Islam (Sunni orientation); the public practice of other religions is not permitted for foreigners, but private religious practice is tolerated.

Organized tourism began in 1972 on the island of Kurumba in the North Malé Atoll and has since developed into by far the most important economic sector in the country – today around 180 islands are available as exclusive resort islands, and since a change in the law in 2009, a growing, much cheaper “guesthouse tourism” has also established itself on inhabited islands.

Time difference: The Maldives is in the UTC+5 time zone (no daylight saving time) all year round. Compared to Central Europe (CET), the difference is +4 hours, compared to Central European Summer Time (CEST) +3 hours.

Currency: The official currency is the Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR), but in resorts, hotels and most tourist facilities, the US dollar is almost universally accepted or even preferred as a means of payment; credit cards are accepted almost everywhere in resorts. On locally inhabited islands (guesthouse tourism), it is also recommended to bring some cash in Rufiyaa or US dollars for small amounts.

Maldives – Entry and Visa

German, Austrian and Swiss nationals do not need a visa in advance to enter the Maldives. Upon arrival at the international airport in Malé (or any other official port of entry), a tourist residence permit for 30 days is issued free of charge.

Prerequisites are:

• a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon entry,
• proof of onward travel (return or connecting flight ticket),
• a booking confirmation for the entire duration of your stay (hotel, resort or guesthouse) or alternatively proof of sufficient financial means,
• the mandatory IMUGA (Immigration, Maldives) electronic entry declaration, which must be completed online within 96 hours before departure; the QR code generated in this way is shown upon entry.

The 30-day residence permit can be extended to up to 90 days on site at the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Malé for a fee, for which a corresponding confirmation of accommodation is usually required. Exceeding the approved duration of stay can lead to severe fines and an entry ban.

Customs information: The import of alcohol is generally prohibited (except in licensed resort areas for consumption there) and may be kept at the airport upon entry against receipt and returned upon departure. Pork products, depictions of other deities (e.g. Buddha statues) and explicit visual material may also not be imported. Prescription medicines should be carried with a medical certificate. Additional requirements for an import health certificate have applied to the import of meat, poultry, fish and egg products since January 2026.

As entry requirements can change at short notice, travellers should check the current requirements on the official website of the Maldivian border authorities (immigration.gov.mv) immediately before departure.

Maldives – Fauna

The underwater world of the Maldives is one of the most biodiverse on earth and is the main reason for the country’s worldwide popularity with divers and snorkelers. The numerous reefs are home to reef fish such as angelfish, butterflyfish, parrotfish and clownfish, as well as larger pelagic species such as Napoleon wrasse, reef sharks (especially the harmless whitetip reef shark and the blacktip reef shark), eagle rays and – especially at well-known cleaning stations and in certain channels – manta rays and whale sharks, which are among the country’s biggest attractions.

Dolphins, especially bottlenose dolphins and spinner dolphins, can be seen regularly in the channels between the atolls, as well as occasional whales (including Bryde’s whales) in deeper waters. Sea turtles, especially green sea turtles and hawksbill turtles, can be found on many reefs; both species are protected.

On the islands themselves, the terrestrial fauna is naturally much poorer in species than in the sea. Characteristic animals include flying foxes, which can often be observed at dusk between the coconut palms, as well as various gecko species that hunt insects by lamplight in the evening. Land birds are comparatively rare, but numerous seabird species can be observed, including frigate birds, gannets and various heron species; some uninhabited islands serve as retreats for important seabird colonies.

As in most tropical regions, there are mosquito populations in the Maldives, but the Anopheles mosquitoes, which are feared as malaria carriers, do not occur here – malaria prophylaxis is therefore not necessary for travel to the Maldives. In the evening and night hours, however, a mosquito repellent is recommended, as isolated dengue fever cases can occur.

The intact protection of the reefs is a top priority for the Maldives: Large parts of the reefs are protected, the collection of corals, shells or other sea creatures is strictly prohibited and will also be prosecuted.

Maldives – Flora

The most important feature of the flora on the Maldivian islands is the comparatively high poverty of species and the resulting unstable ecological balance.

Of the approximately 600 plant species counted in the Maldives, only about 100 to 150 are endemic or originally native; the rest have been introduced over the centuries for cultural and ornamental purposes. The most widespread are coconut palms and pandanus (screw tree), which thrive excellently on the islands. The banyan tree also holds its own well, as it feeds on shallow-rooted host plants, pandanus plants or shrubs.

Of decisive importance for the creation and preservation of an island are low grasses (pioneer plants) growing in the shore area. They first establish themselves on a sandbank and fortify the shore area there with their dense roots. Later, hedges and bushes settle and further consolidate the soil. Over time, a thin layer of humus develops in which salt-free rainwater can collect; above the waterline, a dense tree population of coconut palms, strangler figs, pines, almond trees and other plants finally develops.

The more pristine the islands remain, the denser and more stable this vegetation will establish itself – an important prerequisite for storms and floods to erode the islands with difficulty. If one of these filigree growth chains is disturbed, for example by deforestation, even minor flooding can wash out the sand around the roots of the coconut palms – usually the beginning of the end for the affected trees. The progressive development of tourism and construction of many islands brings with it corresponding ecological challenges, which are to be met with environmental regulations and protection programmes.

Maldives – History

500–200 BC: Sinhalese seafarers discover the atolls of the Maldives; the dialect Dhivehi, which is still spoken today, is strongly reminiscent of Sinhalese, as are some customs and Buddhist excavation finds.

150 AD: The Greek geographer Claudius Ptolemy, in his notes, describes islands indicating the Maldives as “islands west of Ceylon”.

1141: Beginning of the writing of the “Tarikh”, the “Chronicle of the Sultans”, originally hammered in copper strips.

14th century: The first sultana, Khadeeja Rehendi Kabaidhi Kilege, rules the Maldives for 35 years.

Early 16th century: The Portuguese reach the Indian Ocean; in 1558 they take advantage of an intra-Maldivian conflict to temporarily occupy Malé, but encounter strong resistance.

1802/1834: The British take over Ceylon and have the Maldives mapped under Captain Moresby – some of his records still serve as the basis for nautical charts today.

1932: First constitution of the Maldives, beginning of a cautious democratization process under Sultan Shamsuddin III.

1953: First republic under President Amin Didi, who implemented numerous reforms (including electricity for Malé, school construction, malaria control), but is overthrown and killed after only nine months in office.

1965: The Maldives finally becomes independent from Great Britain on 26 July and becomes a full member of the UN in the same year.

1968: The “Second Republic” under Ibrahim Nasir is proclaimed by referendum, and the sultanate is finally abolished.

1978–2008: Maumoon Abdul Gayoom ruled the country authoritarianly for over three decades, with limited civil rights. During his term of office, tourism on Kurumba began in 1972 and in 1988 there was an attempted coup supported by Tamil mercenaries, which Indian paratroopers suppressed at the request of Gayoom.

2004: The devastating Indian Ocean tsunami hits the Maldives hard and makes the extreme vulnerability of the flat island state to natural disasters and sea level rise internationally visible.

2008: After ongoing unrest and international pressure for reform, a new, more democratic constitution comes into force; in the first free presidential elections, the opposition politician and former political prisoner Mohamed Nasheed, who is particularly committed to international climate protection and the threat posed to the Maldives by rising sea levels (including through an internationally acclaimed underwater cabinet meeting in 2009), wins.

2012: Nasheed resigns after a police mutiny under controversial circumstances; years of political instability follow, with several changes of power between different political camps.

2018–2023: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih is president.

Mohamed Muizzu, former mayor of Malé, has been president of the Maldives since November 2023; his government is increasingly focusing on closer ties with China in foreign policy, which has led to a certain cooling of the traditionally close relations with India. Domestically, the expansion of the tourism infrastructure and adaptation measures to climate change – for example through land reclamation, as in the case of the island of Hulhumalé near Malé – remain central issues for the country.

Note: All information on population figures, political offices and entry requirements is subject to change and has been researched to the best of our knowledge as of August 2026. For up-to-date, binding information, it is advisable to take a look at the website of the Maldivian Immigration Department (immigration.gov.mv) and the travel and security advice of the Federal Foreign Office before travelling.