COVER STORY | THE MALDIVES
Today , tourism is the foundation of the Maldives ’ economy .
History
The Maldives has a long , fascinating history . It is an old nation , well over 2,500 years old , according to legends of the southern atolls .
According to historical records , the early civilization comprised seafarers traveling from countries like East Africa , India , and Sri Lanka . Why they arrived is unsure , but there is a suggestion that they may have been traders or shipwrecked . Their influences remain today — dance music , Bodu Beru African beat , facial features , food products such as spices , and religion .
The Maldives was originally a Buddhist nation , and the remains of Buddhist monuments can be seen on some islands .
Today ’ s Islamic religion was brought by an Arab trader , Abu Barakat Yusuf Al-Barbaree , who sailed from Morocco in the 12th century . Would you believe the Islamic faith took almost a century to spread across the country ?
During the time of conversion from Buddhism to Islam , the population of
Malé was around 5,000 . In contrast , today , the city ’ s population is over 150,000 ; it is the most densely populated capital city in the world .
The Maldives was initially ruled by kings and their families across different parts of the atolls . The Maldivian kings were called sultans , but by the 16th century , the nation was brought together by one ruling family sultanate .
In 1558 , the Portuguese influenced trade and the economy after their fleets sailed to the west shore of Malé and fought the ruling sultan ’ s army . However , the country ’ s liberation didn ’ t come about until 1573 AD , when Muhammad Thakurufaanu and his two brothers drove the Portuguese out of
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