The Maldives is an island country in the Indian Ocean, made up entirely of tropical islands with clear blue waters surrounding them. There are over 1192 natural islands grouped into 26 natural atolls, with only 200 of them inhabited. The Maldives has been inhabited since more than 2000 years ago by people who came from present-day Sri Lanka and India. Its first inhabitants were Buddhists, but by 1153 AD the islands had embraced Islam when Arab interest in the region became significant.

Historically, the country was also of strategic importance due to its location on the main sea lanes of the Indian Ocean. The capital Male was dominated by the Portuguese from around 1558 until their expulsion 20 years later. In the 17th century, the islands became a sultanate under the protection of the Dutch rulers of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and after the British conquered Ceylon in 1796, the islands became a British protectorate whose status was formalized in 1887. The Maldives gained independence in 1965 under an agreement signed with the United Kingdom, and today the country remains a presidential democracy. The current president of the Maldives is Ibrahim Solih, who was elected after the 2018 presidential election.

Today, the country's religion is predominantly Islamic and numerous mosques can be seen in Male. In addition, the Islamic Centre and the Sultan's Park are attractions whose beautiful architecture is particularly remarkable.