About Maldives Maldives, consisting of a chain of 1192 low-lying, tiny coral islands, grouped into 26 coral atolls, lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka and south of India. These islands cover a total area of 92,000 sq km. Individually these islands are so small that the total landmass covers less than 4% of the country's territory, rendering most of the area uncultivable. Only around 200 of these islands are inhabited. Location & Attractions Male Malé (pronounced `Mar-lay') is a small, quaint and densely settled island, about 2 km long and 1 km wide. It is packed to the edges with buildings and roads and has a few well-used open spaces. Officially, the population of Male is around 65,000 and the floating population is around 1,00,000. The size of the island has increased two-fold through land reclamation projects. Nearby islands are also used to house the airport and other key structures. Fuamulaku This solitary island in the middle of the Equatorial Channel is something of an anomaly in the Maldives. It is exceptionally fertile, producing fruits like mangoes, oranges and pineapples as well as certain vegetables not grown elsewhere in the country. The people here are said to be bigger and healthier and supposedly live longer than other islanders. Kudahuvadhoo In South Nilandhoo Atoll, the island of Kudahuvadhoo has one of the mysterious mounds known as Hawittas, believed to be the ruins of ancient Buddhist temples.   Baa Atoll Baa Atoll is famous for its handicrafts, which include lacquer work and finely woven cotton felis (traditional sarongs). The small, isolated atoll of Goidhoo has been used to maroon castaways and exiles in the past. The French explorer François Pyrard, found himself here in 1602 after his ship, the Corbin, was wrecked. Festivals Eid is the major festival in the Maldives. It is celebrated to mark the end of the month-long period of austerity, Ramzan.