The history of the Maldives is buried in obscurity owing to the islands' geographical isolation and their comparative insignificance throughout the centuries, even though they are strategically located along the sea routes between Europe and the...

Maldives is a nation consisting of 26 natural atolls comprising of 1192 islands. Since very ancient times, the islands were ruled by kings (Radun) sultans and occasionally queens (Ranin) sultanas. Historically Maldives has had a strategic importance...

To the tourists who fill its coffers, the Maldives is a paradise of private islands and secluded resorts. To the citizens who fill its cramped capital and far-flung atolls, it is a virtual dictatorship where dissent has been brutally quashed.Maldivians hope that will begin to...