In Maldives, 8.2% of the population lives below the national poverty line in 2016. In Maldives, the unemployment rate in 2020 is 7.2%.

In comparison to the rest of the world, the Maldives islands hold a remarkably low number on the population count. With an estimation of little over 360,000, it’s a teardrop in the ocean compared to the vast population of our closest neighbors in the Indian ocean.

540,544 people

Maldives Demographics There are about 70,000 foreign workers in the Maldives, as well as 33,000 illegal immigrants, who make up about one-third of the total population.

Maldivians have historically emigrated from the Maldives for numerous reasons including low economic opportunity, political repression, environmental instability, and education.

Christianity is a minority religion in the Maldives. The Maldives are among the countries with the least tolerance towards Christians. According to the former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, no religion other than Islam should be allowed in the Maldives. Public practise of the Christian religion is prohibited.

Islam in the Maldives It is obviously illegal to import explosives, weapons, firearms, ammunition and drugs, but in addition the importation of material deemed contrary to Islam such as pornography, pork and pork products, alcohol, idols for worship, bibles or any non-Islamic religious text is also illegal.

Maldives has very strong anti-drugs laws. It is an offence to import the following items into Maldives: explosives, weapons, firearms, ammunition, pornographic material, materials deemed contrary to Islam including ‘idols for worship’ and bibles, pork and pork products, and alcohol.

Legally, if you’re 18 and not a Muslim, you can buy and drink alcohol. However since the Maldives are an Islamic nation, alcohol is effectively banned from the local population. However, nearly all resorts and liveaboard boats are licensed to serve alcohol, usually with a steep markup.

Cost of Living in Maldives

Environmental issues in the Maldives include dwindling freshwater supply and inadequate sewage treatment. Recent estimates indicate that the nation’s water supply may be exhausted in the near future, and population increases have created a sanitation problem that threatens the waters surrounding this island nation.

The Earth is currently undergoing a climate change of historic proportion, with sea levels rising noticeably from the melting of glaciers and icebergs. If the trend continues, the Maldives will be completely submerged in 30 years. One should start planning soon as the Maldives is disappearing under the ocean.

Maldives is home to over 25 species of sharks. The most common are the Black-Tip, White-Tip and Grey Reef Sharks. At Ayada Maldives you are almost guaranteed to see an abundance of baby reef sharks around the shallow waters of the lagoon and quite often even find yourself swimming among them.

In January and February there were 13 reported saltwater crocodile sightings in the Maldives. That wouldn’t be weird, but saltwater crocs aren’t native to the Maldives. The first croc was spotted back in 2008, and nobody really knows how it got there. “Since then there’s been no more than one croc sighting a year.

Is it safe to swim in Maldives? It is safe to swim in The Maldives. Which means that even if sharks were dangerous to humans (which they are generally not), you are safe to swim and snorkel in the waters around your resort.