Maldives
Republic of Maldives
Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
CAPITAL: Malé
FLAG: The national flag consists of a white crescent at the center of a green field which, in turn, is at the center of a red field.
ANTHEM: Gavmii mi erkuverikan matii tibegen kuriime salaam (In National Unity Do We Salute Our Nation).
MONETARY UNIT: The Maldivian rupee, or rufiyaa (MR), is a paper currency of 100 laris. There are notes of ½, 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, and 100 rufiyaa. The dollar circulates freely and is the only currency accepted at some resorts. MR1 = $0.0784 (or $1 = MR12.75) as of January 2003.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system has been adopted, but some local units remain in use.
HOLIDAYS: National Day, 7 January; Independence Day, 26 July; Republic Day, 11 November; Fishermen's Day, 10 December. 'Id al-Fitr, 'Id al-'Adha', and Milad an-Nabi are some of the Muslim religious holidays observed.
TIME: 5 PM = noon GMT.
Location, Size, and Extent
The smallest country in Asia, the Republic of Maldives consists of an archipelago of nearly 1,200 coral islands and sand banks in the Indian Ocean, some 200 of which are inhabited. The chain of islands sits astride the equator, south of India and west of Sri Lanka, extending 823 km (511 mi) but occupying an area of just 300 sq km (116 sq mi).
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