Jim Baugh Outdoors What’s Beneath: Maldives

Jim Baugh Outdoors posts a new video to its What’s Beneath Series, The Maldives Dive by Ben Baugh. The Maldives is a small island nation located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka and India. It sits roughly along the equator and is one of the world’s most geographically dispersed countries. Geography

• Made up of about 1,200 coral islands grouped into 26 natural atolls, spread across roughly 90,000 km² of ocean — but the total land area is only about 300 km².
• It is the lowest-lying country in the world, with an average ground level of just 1.5 meters above sea level, making it highly vulnerable to rising seas.

Location

• Situated in the central Indian Ocean, about 700 km southwest of Sri Lanka and 400 km southwest of India’s tip.

People & Culture

• Population of around 500,000, mostly concentrated on the capital island of Malé, which is one of the most densely populated cities on Earth.
• The official language is Dhivehi, and Islam is the state religion.

Economy

• Tourism is the backbone of the economy — the Maldives is world-famous for its luxury overwater bungalows, crystal-clear lagoons, and vibrant coral reefs.
• Fishing, particularly tuna, is also a major industry.

Climate

• Tropical, warm year-round (around 27–30°C), with a wet season from May to October and a drier season from November to April.

It’s often considered one of the most beautiful — and most environmentally fragile — places on the planet.

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Wayne Creed

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