马尔地夫(Maldives)，亦称马尔地夫群岛（Maldive Islands）。

正式名称马尔地夫共和国（Republic of Maldives）

印度洋上的独立岛国。位於斯里兰卡西南，包括约1,300个聚成簇礁或环礁的小珊瑚礁岛和沙洲（其中202个岛屿有人居住）。（土地）面积：298平方公里；这些岛屿散布於南北长820多公里、东西宽130公里的海域上。人口约275,000（2001）。首都︰马累。马尔地夫人是一个混合的民族，祖先包括达罗毗荼人（Dravidian）和僧伽罗人（Sinhalese），以及阿拉伯人、中国人和其他来自周围亚洲地区者。语言︰迪韦希语（官方语）、阿拉伯语、印地语和英语。宗教：伊斯兰教（国教）。货币︰卢费亚（Rf）。群岛地势低洼，海拔均在1.8公尺以下。诸环礁均有沙质海滩、泻湖，生长着茂密的椰树、面包树和热带灌丛。马尔地夫是世界上最贫穷的国家之一，发展中的经济以渔业、旅游业、造船业和修船业为基础。政府形式为共和国，一院制。国家元首暨政府首脑为总统。

西元前5世纪该群岛就有来自斯里兰卡和印度南部的佛教徒居住。西元1153年接受伊斯兰教。1558～1573年葡萄牙人统治马累，17世纪该岛成为锡兰（今斯里兰卡）的荷兰统治者保护下的一个苏丹国；1796年英国占领锡兰後，马尔地夫亦成为英国保护国，1887年这一地位被正式确定。1965年马尔地夫群岛脱离英国统治，获得完全的独立；1968年废除苏丹统治，建立共和国。1982年加入国协。1990年代该国经济逐渐好转。

English version：

Maldives

Independent island nation in the Indian Ocean, situated southwest of Sri Lanka. It is a chain of about 1,300 small coral islands and sandbanks (202 of which are inhabited), grouped in clusters, or atolls. Area (land): 115 sq mi (298 sq km); the islands extend more than 510 mi (820 km) north-south and 80 mi (130 km) east-west. Population (1997 est.): 267,000. Capital: Male. The population is ethnically mixed; ancestors include Dravidian and Sinhalese peoples as well as Arabs, Chinese, and others from surrounding Asian areas. Languages: Divehi (official), Arabic, Hindi, English. Religion: Islam (official). Currency: rufiyaa. All of the islands are low-lying, none rising to more than 6 ft (1.8 m) above sea level. The atolls have sandy beaches, lagoons, and a luxuriant growth of coconut palms, together with breadfruit trees and tropical bushes. One of the world's poorest countries, the Maldives has a developing economy based on fishing, tourism, boatbuilding, and boat repairing. It is a republic with one legislative house; its head of state and government is the president. The archipelago was settled in the 5th century BC by Buddhists from Sri Lanka and southern India, and Islam was adopted in 1153. The Portuguese held sway in Male in 1558-73. The islands were a sultanate under the Dutch rulers of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) during the 17th century. After the British gained control of Ceylon in 1796, the area became a British protectorate, a status formalized in 1887. The islands won full independence from Britain in 1965, and in 1968 a republic was founded and the sultanate was abolished. The Maldives joined the British Commonwealth in 1982. During the 1990s its economy gradually improved.