Maldives
The Maldives is an archipelagic state of low-lying coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka and India, with its capital at Male. Long a trading crossroads and a sultanate before becoming a British protectorate, it gained independence in 1965 and later became a republic. Its scattered islands and minimal elevation make it acutely vulnerable to rising seas.
- Existed: 1965 CE – present
- Type: Country
- Government: Presidential republic
- Capital: Malé