Geography

Coordinates:

between 7° 6' 35" and 0° 42' 24" south and between 72° 33' 19" and 73° 46' 13" east of Greenwich

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ):

359,00sq km

Area:

118, 000 sq km (land = 298 sq km)

Number of Islands:

1,192 islands (inhabited = 199; uninhabited = 993) - out of which 87 are exclusive resort islands. The islands are grouped into 19 natural atolls – divided into 20 for administrative purposes

Capital:

Malé (population = 137,200)

Terrain:

Low lying small islands with flat terrain (average 1.2m above sea level)

Climate:

Sub-tropical, with two monsoons, hot, humid and dry in northeast monsoon (November to March) and rainy in southwest monsoon (June to August) Sun shines all year through. Average temperature around 29 - 32 degrees Celsius. Generally warm and humid.