Maldives

Maldivian culture is derived from a number of sources and factors. These include its proximity to Sri Lanka and South India, East Africa, the Malayan Archipelago and the Middle East via its conversion to Islam in the 12th century, and its location as a crossroads in the central Indian Ocean. Maldivians are of Sri Lankan and Southern Indian origin. There are also elements of Arabian, African, and Indonesian origin as well. Maldivian culture shares many aspects with Sri Lanka and Kerala, namely a strong matriarchal tradition.       

The development of tourism has fostered the overall growth of the country’s economy. It has created direct and indirect employment and income generation opportunities in other related industries. Today, tourism is the country’s biggest foreign exchange earner, contributing to twenty percent of the GDP. With eighty-six tourist resorts in operation, the year 2000 recorded 467,154 tourist arrivals.