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Full country name: Republic of Maldives Capital City: Male Currency: Rufiyaa Population: 301,475
People:
Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African Time: GMT/UTC +5 Entry requirements: Visas are required for most nationalities, but are free and can be obtained on arrival for a stay of max. 30 days. Voltage: 230V ,50 Hz
How to get there: There are regular flights to Colombo (Sri Lanka), Thrivandrum (south-west India), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), as well as many charter flights from European centres. Malé International Airport is the only international gateway; departure tax is $US10. Events: Most holidays are based on the Islamic lunar calendar and the dates vary from year to year. The most important religious event is Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting. Other noteworthy events are Kuda Id, the sighting of the new moon (celebrated at the end of Ramadan), and the Prophet's Birthday, which commemorates the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed. |
