Geographical facts about Maldives
If you have a desire to spend some leisure moments, Maldives is the place for you. Maldives is on top priority of the wish list of tourists from all over the world. Travelers from all over the world flock to the country to experience the best time of their lives. Yes, Maldives has all the necessary ingredients to make your trip to the country a memorable one. The country is truly blessed with natural beauty. If you are fond of beautiful sunrise, this is the place to be. If you are fond of beaches, Maldives is a must visit place. If you are fond of hospitality at its best, the country offers you just the same. In short, if you are fond of holidaying in a place, which is a natural paradise, Maldives is the best option for you.
Let’s get to know a bit about the geography of Maldives.
Maldives is a South Asian country. It is situated in the Indian Ocean. Maldives is located south-southwest of India. The country consists of approximately 1192 coral islands, which include 26 atolls. These atolls are spread over an area of 90,000 square kilometers. Maldives is composed of sand bars and live coral reefs. The 26 atolls of the country are situated on top of a submarine ridge of 960 kilometers. This ridge rises from the Indian Ocean and runs from the north direction towards the south. The government of Maldives has divided these 26 atolls in 19 administrative zones. This is done to smoothen the process of administration.
The geographical coordinates of Maldives are 3°15’N and 73°00E.
The atolls of the country are mostly ring shaped and they consist of several smaller islands. These smaller islands are as small as one to two square kilometers. Their height from sea level ranges from one to 1.5 meters.
However, the larger atolls are comparatively far bigger from these. Their average area ranges are approximately 30 kilometers from east to west and 50 kilometers from north to south.
Maldives is a country sans hills, but the dunes present on some of the islands compensate for the lovers of hill stations. The islands of Maldives are too small for rivers but smaller marshes and lakes are there as water bodies.
The vegetation of Maldives is Tropical. The vegetation usually differs from one area to another depending upon the inhabited and uninhabited parts of the country. Small groves of papaya, banana, drumstick and citrus trees can be found in inhabited islands while the uninhabited islands have different kinds of vegetation. Coconut palms and breadfruit trees are an important part of vegetation in Maldives. Apart from some coconut trees, only a few varieties of bushes can be found in uninhabited islands along the waterline.
The soil in most parts of the country is highly alkaline, which means it has very limited potential for agricultural products. The soil in Maldives is deficient in potash, nitrogen and iron.
The temperature of the country usually lies between 24 and 33°C all the year round. Maldives Geography.