Maldives
 

to  19..                       19.. - 1932                        1932 - 1953                       1953 - 25 Jul 1965                   Adopted 25 Jul 1965 Map of the Maldives Hear National Anthem "Gavmii mi ekuverikan matii tibegen kuriime salaam" (In National Unity Do We Salute Our Nation) Adopted 1972 Former Anthem "Salaamathi" (to 1948; Royal anthem to 1964) --------------------------------------- Former Anthem "Canary Magu" (tune of "Auld Lang Syne") (1948-1972) Constitution (7 Aug 2008) --------------------------------- Former Constitution (1 Jan 1998-7 Aug 2008) Capital: Malé Currency: Rufiyaa (MVR) National Holiday: 26 Jul (1965) Independence Day Population: 385,925 (2008) GDP: $1.73 billion (2008) Exports: $113 million (2008) Imports: $1.27 billion (2008) Ethnic groups: Maldivian (South Indians [Dravidian]) 98.5%, Sinhalese 0.7%, other 0.8% (2000) Total Active Armed/Police Force: 700-1,000 (2003) Merchant marine: 29 ships (2008) Religions: virtually 100% Sunni Muslim (2000) International Organizations/Treaties: ADB, AOSIS, APM, BTWC, C, CP, CTBT, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC (observer), Interpol, IOC, IPU, IRENA, ISA, ISESCO, ITU, KP, MIGA, NAM, NPT, NTBT, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Maldives Index Chronology  5th cent.                 Archipelago is settled by Buddhists from Ceylon                              (Sri Lanka).   7 Jul 1153                Sultanate 1507                       Discovered by Portuguese Capt. Lourenço de Almeida. 1518 - 1521                Portuguese occupation of Malé under João Gomes.  19 May 1558 -  1 Jul 1573  Portuguese occupation of Malé under Adreas Andre                               (known locally as Andiri Andiri). 1645 - 16 Feb 1796         Under Dutch protection from Dutch Ceylon. 16 Feb 1796                Under British protection from Ceylon, in 1867                              British guarantee Maldives independence. 16 Dec 1887 - 26 Jul 1965  British protectorate (Maldive Islands).  1 Jan 1953                Republic of Maldive Islands  7 Mar 1954                Sultanate of Maldive Islands (restored).  3 Jan 1959 - 30 Sep 1963  Secession of Addu and the and the southern                               atolls as United Suvadive Republic. 11 Nov 1968                Republic of Maldive Islands 14 Apr 1969                Name changed from Maldive Islands to Maldives. United Suvadive Republic (1959-1963)

Sultans¹
Jul 1692 - 16 Jan 1701     Muhammad II                         (b. 16.. - d. 1701)
16 Jan 1701 - 27 Oct 1701  `Ali VII                            (b. 16.. - d. 1701)
27 Oct 1701 - 1701         al-Hasan X                          (b. 1688 - d. 1765)
27 Oct 1701 - 1701         Regents
                           - Ibrahim Shah Bandar 
                           - Muhammad Famuladeri
1701 - 20 Dec 1704         Muzhir ad-Din Ibrahim
20 Dec 1704 - 21 Oct 1721  `Imad ad-Din II Muhammad            (b. 1661 - d. 1721)
                             al-Muzaffar 
                             (regent for Muzhir 17 Jan 1704 - 20 Dec 1704) 
21 Oct 1721 - 25 Feb 1750  Ibrahim Iskandar II                 (b. 1708 - d. 1750)
26 Feb 1750 - 25 Jun 1757  `Imad ad-Din III Muhammad           (b. 1717 - d. 1757)
                             al-Mukarram 
                             (prisoner of Cannanore from 12 Dec 1752)
12 Dec 1752 -  6 Dec 1759   Amina Rani Kilagefanu (f) -Rani
                             (to 25 Jun 1757 regent for `Imad ad-Din III) 
 6 Dec 1759 -  2 Feb 1767  `Izz ad-Din al-Hasan Badeiri        (d. 1767)
                             al-Ghazi 
                             (de facto regent from 9 Mar 1753)
1767 - 22 Dec 1773         Ghiyath ad-Din Muhammad             (d. 1774)
17 Dec 1773 - 22 Dec 1773  Regents
                           - Amina Kanbafa'anu (f)
                           - Shams ad-Din Muhammad Iskandar    (d. 1779)
22 Dec 1773 - May 1774     Shams ad-Din II Muhammad Iskandar   (s.a.)
May 1774 - 13 Sep 1779     Mu`izz ad-Din Muhammad Iskandar     (d. 1779)
13 Sep 1779 -  2 Jun 1799  Nur ad-Din I al-Hasan               (b. af.1751 - d. 1799)
 2 Jun 1799 - 22 Jan 1835  Mu`in ad-Din I Muhammad             (d. 1835)
                             (regent for absent Nur ad-Din I from 24 Jan 1799)
22 Jan 1835 - 10 Jan 1882  `Imad ad-Din IV Muhammad            (b. 1818 - d. 1882)
10 Jan 1882 - 18 Dec 1886  Nur ad-Din II Ibrahim (1st time)    (d. 1892)
18 Dec 1886 - 1888         Mu`in ad-Din II Muhammad            (d. 1892)
1888 - 29 Nov 1892         Nur ad-Din II Ibrahim (2nd time)    (s.a.)
Dec 1892 - 20 May 1893     `Imad ad-Din V Muhammad             (b. 1884 - d. 1920)
May 1893 -  3 Aug 1893     Shams ad-Din III Muhammad Iskandar  (b. 1879 - d. 1935)
                             (1st time)
 3 Aug 1893 - 12 Mar 1903  `Imad ad-Din VI Muhammad            (b. c.1863 - d. 19..)
                             (regent 21 Jul 1893 - 3 Aug 1893)
12 Mar 1903 -  2 Oct 1934  Shams ad-Din III Muhammad Iskandar  (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) 
 2 Oct 1934 - 12 Mar 1935  Amir `Ali Muhammad Farid (1st time)
                             (chairman Council of Regency)
12 Mar 1935 -  8 Apr 1943  Nur ad-Din al-Hasan                 (b. 1902)
 8 Apr 1943 -  3 Oct 1945  Amir `Ali Muhammad Farid (2nd time)
                             (chairman Council of Regency)
 3 Oct 1945 - 21 Feb 1952  Amin Abdul Majid Didi               (b. 1873 - d. 1952)
                             (elected but remained in Ceylon; never installed)
21 Feb 1952 -  1 Jan 1953  Amir Ahmad Muhammad Amin Didi       (b. 1910 - d. 1954)
                             (chairman Council of Regency)
Presidents
 1 Jan 1953 -  2 Sep 1953  Amir Ahmad Muhammad Amin Didi       (s.a.)
 2 Sep 1953 -  7 Mar 1954  Ibrahim Muhammad Didi (acting)      (b. .... - d. 198.)
Sultan¹
 7 Mar 1954 - 11 Nov 1968  Muhammad Farid Didi                 (b. 1901 - d. 1969)
Presidents
11 Nov 1968 - 11 Nov 1978  Ibrahim Nasir                       (b. 1926 - d. 2008)  Non-party
11 Nov 1978 - 11 Nov 2008  Maumoon Abdul Gayoom                (b. 1937)   Non-party;2005: DRP
11 Nov 2008 -              Mohamed Nasheed                     (b. 1967)            MDP

Prime ministers
1883 - 1887                Ibrahim Dorhimeyna Kilegefan        (b. 1845 - d. 1925)
                             (1st time) 
1887 - 1888                ....
1888 - 1899                Ibrahim Dorhimeyna Kilegefan        (s.a.)
                             (2nd time) 
1899 - 1904                ....
1904 - 1925                Ibrahim Dorhimeyna Kilegefan        (s.a.)
                             (3rd time)
1925 - 1932                ....
1932 - 1933                Muhammad Farid Didi                 (s.a.)
1933 - 1935                Amin Abdul Majid Didi               (s.a.)
1935 - 1944                ....
29 Oct 1944 -  2 Sep 1953  Amir Ahmad Muhammad Amin Didi       (s.a.)               Non-party
 2 Sep 1953 - 12 Dec 1957  Ibrahim Ali Didi                                         Non-party
12 Dec 1957 - 11 Nov 1968  Ibrahim Nasir                       (s.a.)               Non-party
11 Nov 1968 - Aug 1972     Post abolished
Aug 1972 -  6 Mar 1975     Ahmed Zaki                          (b. 1931 - d. 1996)  Non-party
 6 Mar 1975                Post abolished

British Residents
16 Dec 1887 -  4 Feb 1948  the British governors of Ceylon
British Residents (the British High Commissioners to Ceylon) 
 4 Feb 1948 - Oct 1951     Sir Walter Crossfield Hankinson     (b. 1894 - d. 1984)
Oct 1951 - Dec 1957        Sir Cecil George Lewis Syers        (b. 1903 - d. 1981)
Dec 1957 - Jun 1962        Sir Alexander Francis Morley        (b. 1908 - d. 1971)
Jun 1962 - 1965            Sir Charles Michael Walker          (b. 1918 - d. 2001)

  ¹full title: "Sultan of Land and of Sea, Lord of the Thousand Islands, and Sultan of the Maldive Islands."

Party abbreviations (parties did not exist 1952-2005): DHP = Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's Party, pro-government party, est.2005); MDP = Maldives Democratic Party (liberal, est.2005)

           Jan 1959 - 30 Sep 1963 

   

Map of  United Suvadive Republic (Addu Atoll)

Capital: Hittadu

Currency: British Pound (GBP)

Population: 20,000 (1960)

 

 3 Jan 1959                Independence of Addu Atoll declared.

13 Mar 1959                Fua Mulaku and Huvadu (Suvadu) Atolls join Addu to form the

                             United Suvadive Republic.

Jul 1959                   Huvadu retaken by Maldives government.

30 Sep 1963                Republic extinguished. 

President
Jan 1959 - 30 Sep 1963     Abdullah Afif Didi                 (b. 1916 - d. 1993)