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| General Information |
| Capital |
Male |
| Geography |
The Maldives Republic is located 500km (300 miles) southwest of the southern tip of India and consists of about 1190 low-lying coral islands, of which only 200 are inhabited. |
| Language |
Dhivehi is the language spoken in all parts of the Maldives. English is widely spoken. Other languages are also used within tourist areas. |
| Religion |
The indigenous population is almost entirely Sunni Muslim. |
| Time |
GMT + 5 |
| Electricity |
230 volts AC, 50Hz. Round-pin plugs are used, although square-pin plugs are now becoming more common. |
| Telephone |
IDD is available. Country code: 960. Outgoing international code: 00. |
| Mobile telephone |
GSM 900 network operated by the Maldives Telecommunications Company, DhiMobile. |
| Internet |
The Internet can be accessed from most areas of the Maldives. Mal?, the capital, has an Internet cafe and almost all resorts facilitate the sending and receiving of e-mails. The islands' ISP is Dhivehi. |
| Post |
Post office hours: Sat-Thurs 07:30-13:30 and 16:00-17:50. |
| Press |
The Maldives News Bulletin is published weekly in English. The other dailies Aafathis Daily News, Haveeru Daily and Miadhu News have English sections. Information about local events is widely available on all the resort islands.
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| Radio |
BBC World Service and Voice of America can be received. |
| Climate |
The Maldives have a hot tropical climate. There are two monsoons, the southwest from May to October and the northeast from November to April. Generally the southwest brings more wind and rain in June and July. The temperature rarely falls below 25 C (77 F). The best time to visit is November to Easter. |
| Required clothing |
Lightweight cottons and linens throughout the year. Light waterproofs are advised during the rainy season. |
| Money and Currency |
| Currency |
The Maldivian currency is the Rufiyaa and Laaree. One Rufiyaa is equivalent to 100 laarees. Rufiyaa bank notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500. Coins are in the denominations of MRf.2.00, MRf.1.00, 50 laarees, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 laaree. |
| Credit & debit cards |
Most major island resorts, local and souvenir shops will accept American Express, Diners Club, Eurocard, MasterCard and Visa. There are ATMs at a few places on the Capital Island. |
| Traveler's checks |
These are generally accepted in Sterling and US Dollars. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take travelers checks in US Dollars. |
| Banking hours |
Sun-Thurs 08:00-13:30 |
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