The Republic of Maldives consists of 1,190 islands (less than 200 are
inhabited) in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka. The Maldives has a
population of 270,000 of which about 70,000 reside in Male, the capital city.
Beautiful atolls are inhabited by over 1,100 species of fish and other sea
life, attracting thousands of visitors each year. Tourism facilities are
well developed on the resort islands.
The summer never ends in the Maldives. Although it is warm throughout the
year there are slight variations in the temperature during certain periods
determined by the monsoons. The northeast monsoons from November to April are
mostly dry with very little wind, while the southwest monsoon from May to
October brings some rain and wind. Being on the equator, the monsoons are mild
and the temperature varies very little. The annual average daily temperature is
between 25.4°- 30.4° C. The average rainfall is below 2m per annum.