A country with diverse origins
The population of the Maldives is a reflection of its history. Genes from different origins blend together to form the unique cocktail that forms the basis of the "indigenous" population. Maldivians belong to the Indo-Aryan group. Tests have detected genetic attributes typical of Middle Eastern Arabs, South Asians (present-day India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh), Austronesians and Africans. This diverse profile confirms that the Maldives have long been known to sailors cruising this part of the Indian Ocean. However, it is impossible to determine the exact period of colonization of the Maldivian islands. It is probable that occupation of the Maldives began around 500 BC. The Mahavamsa, afifth-century BC chronicle of the first Sinhalese kings, refers to the arrival of the first settlers in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The text clearly states that the first migrants went directly from India to the Maldives, without passing through Sri Lanka. Identical boat-building methods and a similar hallmark on silver coins can be found between certain regions of India and the Maldives. However, some researchers believe that colonization of the archipelago predates this period. Some islands are named after a Dravidian language, the hallmark of the peoples of southern India. We also know that the island of Giraavaru was inhabited by a people from Tamil Nadu in India. The island was evacuated in 1968 due to its intense erosion, and the Giraavaru melted into the rest of the Maldivian population. Barely 200 islands have been inhabited by the local population, which has developed very little over the centuries. Navigation from island to atoll was not always easy, and journey times were incredibly long.
Distribution of the population
In 1911, the Maldives had a population of just 72,000. It is still the second most sparsely populated country in Asia, after the Sultanate of Brunei. The United Nations has estimated the population of the Maldives at 557,426 by 2020. The opening up of the country to tourists in the 1970s led to a demographic explosion. The population more than doubled between 1966 and 2000, and will double again between 2000 and 2020. This strong demographic growth is linked to a number of factors: immigration, longer life expectancy and falling infant mortality. The strong development of tourism in the 1970s was coupled with high levels of immigration. The Maldivian government wanted to avoid mixing the tourist population with the Maldivian population. As a result, a foreign workforce had to be brought in to build and run the island hotels. Today, immigration accounts for a third of the population, or 177,585 people. A third of these migrants are undocumented. The largest contingent comes from Bangladesh (112,588), followed by India (28,840), Sri Lanka (15,670), Nepal (5,029), China (3,506) and the Philippines (3,000). Many residents come from Western countries to work in hotels and diving clubs. The inflow of foreign currency into the country has enabled it to develop. Hospitals and dispensaries have been built. Vaccination and hygiene campaigns have drastically reduced infant mortality. From 12.7% in 1977, it is now down to 1.2%. The same applies to life expectancy, which peaked at 46 years in 1978. It rose to 72 in the 2000s.
Only 4 islands have more than 10,000 inhabitants. Malé, the capital, is home to 67,742 inhabitants over an area of 5 km². This makes it not only the smallest capital in the world, but also one of the most densely populated. So much so that it can no longer hold everyone. The government has artificially developed the island of Hulhumalé opposite, and built a bridge between the two islands. Further bridges are planned between Malé and Villingili, Gulhifalhu and Thilafushi, to create a "Greater Malé". The second most populous city is Addu City with 33,876 inhabitants, the southernmost city in the Maldives. Fuvahmulah in Gnaviyani atoll and Kulhudhuffushi in Haa Daalhu atoll have 13,037 and 10,210 inhabitants respectively.
The Maldivian language
Divehi is the official language of the Maldives. Its origin comes from the Sanskrit dvipa, meaning "island". Its full form divehi-bas means "the language of the islanders". The language is spoken in the Maldives as well as in Lakshadweep, an Indian-administered territory to the north of the archipelago. The language combines many influences, including Arabic, Sinhalese, Malayalam, Hindi and English. These influences and the archipelago's geographical elongation give rise to differences in pronunciation and vocabulary. Maldivians in the north do not understand the dialects used in the south, and vice versa. There are three levels of language in Maldivian. Low Reethi was used by the upper classes and those of royal blood. Today, it is used by the media. Laabah-dhuruvun shows respect for elders, officials and foreigners. Divehi-bas is the usual form used in family and friendship. Divehi has its own alphabet, Thaana, which first appeared in the 12th century. Derived from Arabic, it is written from right to left and came into use with the introduction of Islam to the Maldives. Prior to this period, divehi was transcribed using dhives akuru, which was written from left to right. Its use lasted until the early 20th century, when it was used for official texts. It remained in use on certain remote islands until the late 1960s. The last user of dhives akuru died at the end of the 20th century. There is no word for "hello" or greeting in Divehi. There is, however, a word for taking leave. French has incorporated a Divehi word into its dictionary: "atoll". When the Maldives was a kingdom, the term designated an administrative province under the authority of a chief called naybon.
