History of Maldives in Timeline

The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, is an archipelagic state in South Asia located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka and India. Its chain of 26 atolls stretches across the equator.

1932: Proclamation of the first Constitution

In 1932, the first Constitution was proclaimed in the Maldives, leading to unrest and the public tearing up of the Constitution.

1932: Sultanate becomes elective

In 1932, the sultanate became elective.

1953: Declaration of the First Republic

In 1953, the sultanate was suspended and the First Republic was declared under President Mohamed Amin Didi.

1954: Restoration of the sultanate

In 1954, the sultanate was restored in the Maldives.

1957: Prime Minister calls for review of agreement

In 1957, Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir called for a review of the agreement with the United Kingdom regarding their military presence.

1959: Secessionist movement and formation of the United Suvadive Republic

In 1959, a local secessionist movement in the three southernmost atolls formed the United Suvadive Republic.

1960: Maldives allows UK to use Gan and Hithadhoo facilities

In 1960, the Maldives allowed the United Kingdom to continue using the Gan and Hithadhoo facilities for thirty years in exchange for £750,000.

July 1965: Agreement signed ending British authority

On 26 July 1965, an agreement was signed ending British authority on the defence and external affairs of the Maldives, formally granting the islands independence.

1965: Payment to the Maldives for economic development

From 1960 to 1965, the UK paid £750,000 to the Maldives for the country's economic development.

1965: Independence from the United Kingdom

In 1965, the Maldives gained independence from the United Kingdom.

1965: Formal title of the sultan

Until 1965, the formal title of the sultan was, Sultan of Land and Sea, Lord of the twelve-thousand islands and Sultan of the Maldives.

November 1967: Vote in parliament to decide on the form of government

In November 1967, a vote was taken in parliament to decide whether the Maldives should continue as a constitutional monarchy or become a republic, with 40 out of 44 members voting in favor of a republic.

March 1968: National referendum on establishing a republic

In March 1968, a national referendum was held, and 93.34% of participants voted in favor of establishing a republic.

November 1968: Declaration of the republic

On 11 November 1968, the republic was declared, ending the 853-year-old monarchy and replacing it with a republic under the presidency of Ibrahim Nasir.

1968: Establishment of a presidential republic

In 1968, the Maldives established a presidential republic with an elected People's Majlis.

1968: Evacuation of Giraavaru Island

In 1968, the island of Giraavaru was evacuated due to heavy erosion, leading to the near-complete absorption of the native Giraavaru people into the broader Maldivian society.

1968: Old Penal Law

In 1968, the previous penal law existed.

1968: Republican Constitution

In 1968, the republican constitution came into force.

1970: Constitutional Amendment

In 1970, the republican constitution was amended.

October 1972: Opening of the first resort in the Maldives

On 3 October 1972, Kurumba Maldives, the first resort in the Maldives, welcomed its first guests.

1972: Resort Growth

From 1972 to 2007, the number of resorts in the Maldives grew from 2 to 92.

1972: Opening of First Tourist Resorts

In 1972, the first tourist resorts, Bandos Island Resort and Kurumba Village (now Kurumba Maldives), opened, marking a turning point for the Maldives' economy.

1972: Constitutional Amendment

In 1972, the republican constitution was amended.

1972: Emergence of Tourism

In 1972, tourism emerged in the Maldives, catalyzing a rapid shift in the economy from dependence on fisheries.

1973: Establishment of Allied Health Services Training Centre

In 1973, the Allied Health Services Training Centre was established by the Ministry of Health in the Maldives.

1974: Establishment of Vocational Training Centre

In 1974, the Vocational Training Centre was established in the Maldives, providing training for mechanical and electrical trades.

1974: Mechanisation of Dhoni

In 1974, the mechanisation of the traditional fishing boat called dhoni marked a major milestone in the fisheries industry's development.

1975: Arrest and exile of Prime Minister Ahmed Zaki

In 1975, elected Prime Minister Ahmed Zaki was arrested and exiled to a remote atoll due to political infighting.

1975: Constitutional Amendment

In 1975, the republican constitution was amended.

1976: Closure of RAF Gan airfield

In 1976, the RAF Gan airfield was closed as part of the British withdrawal of permanently stationed forces 'East of Suez'.

December 1977: First accurate census held

In December 1977, the first accurate census was held in the Maldives, showing a population of 142,832 people.

1977: Fish Canning Plant Installation

In 1977, a fish canning plant was installed on Felivaru as a joint venture with a Japanese firm.

1977: Infant Mortality Rate

In 1977, the infant mortality rate in the Maldives was 12.7%.

December 1978: Registration of Haveeru Daily News

Haveeru Daily News, the first and longest-serving newspaper in the history of the Maldives, was registered on December 28, 1978.

1978: Population Doubling

By 1978, the Maldivian population had doubled, with life expectancy at birth standing at 46 years.

1978: Maumoon Abdul Gayoom begins his presidency

In 1978, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom began his 30-year role as president of the Maldives.

1978: Nasir flees to Singapore

In 1978, President Nasir fled to Singapore with millions of dollars from the treasury.

1979: Fisheries Advisory Board Setup

In 1979, the Fisheries Advisory Board was established to advise the government on policy guidelines for the overall development of the fisheries sector.

1980: Coup attempt by Nasir supporters

In 1980, a coup attempt by Nasir supporters tried unsuccessfully to topple the government.

July 1982: Maldives joins the Commonwealth of Nations

In July 1982, the Maldives became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

1982: Maldives Joins Commonwealth

In 1982, the republic joined the Commonwealth.

1983: Coup attempt by Nasir supporters

In 1983, a coup attempt by Nasir supporters tried unsuccessfully to topple the government.

1984: Creation of Institute for Teacher Education

In 1984, the Institute for Teacher Education was created in the Maldives.

1985: Population Growth Peak

In 1985, the population growth rate in the Maldives peaked at 3.4%.

1987: Establishment of School of Hotel and Catering Services

In 1987, the School of Hotel and Catering Services was established to provide trained personnel for the tourism industry in the Maldives.

November 1988: Coup d'état attempt and Operation Cactus

In November 1988, a coup d'état was attempted, but was defeated by the National Security Services of Maldives with assistance from the Indian Air Force and Navy in Operation Cactus.

1988: Sea Rise Prediction

In 1988, Maldivian authorities claimed that sea rise would "completely cover this Indian Ocean nation of 1,196 small islands within the next 30 years."

1988: Coup attempt involving PLOTE mercenaries

In 1988, a coup attempt involved a mercenary force of the PLOTE who seized the airport, but was thwarted by Indian troops.

1990: Infant Mortality Rate

In 1990, the infant mortality rate in the Maldives was 34 per 1,000.

1991: Creation of Institute of Management and Administration

In 1991, the Institute of Management and Administration was created to train staff for public and private services in the Maldives.

1996: Progress Monitor of Indian Ocean Commission

Since 1996, the Maldives has been the official progress monitor of the Indian Ocean Commission.

November 1997: New Constitution Assented

On 27 November 1997, a new Constitution was assented to by then-President Maumoon.

January 1998: Constitution Comes into Force

On 1 January 1998, the constitution assented to on 27 November 1997 came into force.

1998: Impact of El Niño on Reefs

Before 1998, there was an assumption reefs would be present indefinitely. The El Niño event acted as a wake-up call, causing coral death and highlighting their role as natural barriers against storms, floods, and tsunamis.

1998: Coral Bleaching Event

In 1998, a sea-temperature warming event due to El Niño caused coral bleaching, killing two-thirds of the nation's coral reefs.

1998: Foundation of Maldives College of Higher Education

In 1998, the Maldives College of Higher Education was founded.

January 1999: Foundation of Institute of Shar'ah and Law

In January 1999, the Institute of Shar'ah and Law was founded.

2000: Launch of First-Degree Programme

In 2000, the Maldives College of Higher Education launched its first-degree programme, a Bachelor of Arts.

2000: Population Growth Decline

The census in 2000 showed that the population growth rate in Maldives had declined to 1.9%.

2002: Interest in Indian Ocean Commission

In 2002, the Maldives began to express interest in joining the Indian Ocean Commission.

2003: Foundation of the Maldivian Democratic Party

In 2003, Mohamed Nasheed founded the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and pressured Maumoon into allowing political reforms.

December 2004: Tsunami devastates the Maldives

On 26 December 2004, a tsunami devastated the Maldives following the Indian Ocean earthquake, causing widespread damage and casualties.

2004: Coral Regeneration Witnessed

In 2004, scientists witnessed corals regenerating after electrified cones were placed to provide a substrate for larval coral attachment. Corals began to eject pink-orange eggs and sperm.

2004: Economic downturn following the 2004 tsunami

The Maldives experienced an economic downturn following the 2004 tsunami, leading to challenges for the Nasheed administration.

2004: Infant Mortality Rate Decline

The infant mortality rate in the Maldives decreased from 34 per 1,000 in 1990 to 15 per 1,000 in 2004.

2006: Population Reached 298,968

By the 2006 census, the population of Maldives had reached 298,968.

2007: Tourist Visits

By 2007, over 8,380,000 tourists had visited the Maldives.

2007: IPCC Report Predicts Sea Level Rise

In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report predicted an upper limit of 59 centimeters of sea level rise by 2100, potentially requiring the abandonment of most of the republic's inhabited islands.

August 2008: New Constitution Ratified

On 7 August 2008, the current Constitution of Maldives was ratified by President Maumoon, replacing the 1998 constitution and including a judiciary run by an independent commission.

2008: Continued Interest in IOC

As of 2008, the Maldives had not applied for membership in the Indian Ocean Commission, despite expressing interest.

2008: Tourism Growth

By 2008, the Maldives boasted 89 resorts with over 17,000 beds, hosting over 600,000 tourists annually.

2008: Nasheed Announces Land Purchase Plans

In 2008, President Nasheed announced plans to look into purchasing new land in India, Sri Lanka, and Australia due to concerns about global warming and rising sea levels.

2008: Approval of new constitution and first direct presidential elections

In 2008, a new constitution was approved in the Maldives and the first direct presidential elections occurred, which were won by Mohamed Nasheed.

2008: Islamic Principles in Constitution

In 2008, the constitution stated that the republic "is based on the principles of Islam" and that "no law contrary to any principle of Islam can be applied".

2008: Adoption of Constitution

Since the adoption of the 2008 constitution, Maldivian citizens and anyone wishing to become citizens are required by law to nominally follow Sunni Islam.

2009: International Climate Talks

In 2009, Nasheed stated at the International Climate Talks that: [no specific details provided].

2009: Reform Process

In 2009, a reform process began to improve freedom.

2009: Underwater Cabinet Meeting

In 2009, the Maldives hosted "the world's first underwater cabinet meeting" to raise awareness of climate change threats.

2010: Fisheries Contribution

In 2010, fisheries contributed over 15% of the country's GDP and engaged about 30% of the country's workforce. Fisheries were also the second-largest foreign exchange earner after tourism.

2010: Reform Process Continued

In 2010, the reform process made headway.

2010: Population Projection

It was projected that in 2010, the population in the Maldives would reach 317,280.

January 2011: Maldives National University Act Passed

On January 17, 2011, the Maldives National University Act was passed by the President of the Maldives.

February 2011: Naming of Maldives National University

On February 15, 2011, the Maldives National University was named.

2011: Life Expectancy

In 2011, the life expectancy at birth in the Maldives was 77 years.

2011: Freedom House Report

In its 2011 Freedom in the World report, Freedom House declared the Maldives "Partly Free", claiming a reform process had stalled.

2011: Social and political unrest grew

Social and political unrest grew in the Maldives in late 2011, following opposition campaigns.

February 2012: Nasheed's resignation from office

In February 2012, Mohamed Nasheed controversially resigned from office after police and army mutinied, and his vice-president, Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, was sworn in as president.

2012: Nasheed Warns of Underwater Country

In 2012, former president Mohamed Nasheed warned that the Maldives would be underwater in seven years if carbon emissions continued at the current rate.

2012: US Report on Human Rights

In their 2012 report on human rights practices in the country, the United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor claimed that the most significant problems are corruption, lack of religious freedom, abuse, and unequal treatment of women.

2013: Christian Population Estimate

In 2013, scholar Felix Wilfred of Oxford University estimated the number of Christians in the Maldives to be 1,400, constituting 0.4% of the country's population.

2013: Contested Election and Annulment

In 2013, the Maldives election was highly contested. Former president Nasheed won the most votes in the first round, but the Supreme Court annulled the results despite positive assessments from international election observers.

2013: Seaplane Company Merger

In 2013, two seaplane companies, TMA (Trans Maldivian Airways) and Maldivian Air Taxi, merged under the name TMA.

2014: Population and Housing Census

The 2014 Population and Housing Census listed the total population in the Maldives as 437,535, comprising 339,761 resident Maldivians and 97,774 resident foreigners, who represented approximately 16% of the total population.

July 2015: New Penal Code in Effect

On 16 July 2015, a new penal code came into effect, replacing the 1968 law and incorporating principles of Islamic law.

2015: Transformation to Islamic University

In 2015, under a Presidential decree, the College of Islamic Studies was changed into the Islamic University of Maldives (IUM).

2015: Assassination Attempt and Political Unrest

In late 2015, President Yameen survived an assassination attempt. Vice president Mohamed Jameel Ahmed was removed from office, and Vice-president Ahmed Adeeb was later arrested along with supporters, leading to a state of emergency.

October 2016: Maldives Withdraws from Commonwealth

In October 2016, the Maldives announced its withdrawal from the Commonwealth in protest at allegations of human rights abuse and failing democracy.

October 2016: Maldives withdraws from the Commonwealth of Nations

In October 2016, the Maldives withdrew from the Commonwealth of Nations due to allegations of human rights abuses and failing democracy.

2016: Dissolution of Haveeru Daily News

Haveeru Daily News was dissolved in 2016, after being registered on December 28, 1978.

2016: Severe Coral Bleaching Incident

In 2016, the coral reefs of the Maldives experienced a severe bleaching incident, with up to 95% of coral around some islands dying. Surface water temperatures reached an all-time high of 31 degrees Celsius in May.

May 2017: PSM News Founded

PSM News, the country's main media outlet owned by the government of the Maldives, was founded on May 3, 2017, in celebration of World Press Freedom Day.

November 2018: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih Sworn in as President

In November 2018, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was sworn in as the new president of the Maldives after winning the election.

2018: Election and Rejoining the Commonwealth

Following his election as president in 2018, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and his Cabinet decided that the Maldives would apply to rejoin the Commonwealth.

2018: UN Condemns Assault on Democracy

In 2018, the UN Human Rights chief termed the then ruling Progressive Party of Maldives' tensions with opposition parties and the subsequent crackdown as an "assault on democracy".

April 2019: MDP Wins Landslide Victory

In the April 2019 parliamentary election, The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won a landslide victory, taking 65 of 87 seats in parliament.

July 2019: Adeeb Freed and Travel Ban Imposed

In July 2019, Adeeb was freed by courts in Male after his conviction on charges of terrorism and corruption was overruled, but he was placed under a travel ban after the state prosecutor appealed the order in a corruption and money laundering case.

November 2019: Yameen Sentenced for Money Laundering

In November 2019, former president Abdulla Yameen was sentenced to five years in prison for money laundering.

2019: Manta Air's Seaplane Service

In 2019, Manta Air initiated its first scheduled seaplane service.

2019: Signed UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

In 2019, the Maldives signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

2019: Visitor Increase

In 2019, the Maldives welcomed over 1.7 million visitors to the islands.

February 2020: Maldives rejoins the Commonwealth of Nations

In February 2020, the Maldives rejoined the Commonwealth of Nations after demonstrating functioning democratic processes and popular support.

February 2020: Maldives Readmitted to Commonwealth

On 1 February 2020, the Maldives was readmitted to the Commonwealth.

2020: University of Plymouth Study on Sea Level Rise

In 2020, a three-year study at the University of Plymouth found that tides move sediment to create higher elevation, potentially helping low-lying islands adjust to sea level rise, while also noting that sea walls compromise this natural adaptation.

2020: Christian Population Study

In 2020, studies found that approximately 0.29% of the population in the Maldives is Christian.

January 2021: High Court Upholds Yameen's Jail Sentence

In January 2021, the High Court upheld the jail sentence of former president Abdulla Yameen for money laundering.

May 2021: Expatriate Workers

As of May 2021, there were 281,000 expatriate workers in the Maldives, with an estimated 63,000 being undocumented.

May 2021: COVID-19 Outbreak

On May 24 2021, the Maldives experienced the world's fastest-growing COVID-19 outbreak, with the highest number of infections per million people over the prior 7 and 14 days, attributed to the Delta variant.

November 2021: Supreme Court Overturns Yameen's Conviction

In November 2021, the Supreme Court overturned the conviction of former president Abdulla Yameen.

February 2022: Refuge for Russian Mega-Yachts

As a result of sanctions imposed upon the Russian oligarchs by the West in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, many of them sought refuge for their mega-yachts in the Maldives.

2022: Population of Maldives in 2022

In 2022, the Maldives had a population of 515,132, making it the second least populous country in Asia.

January 2023: Evidence Act in Effect

The Evidence Act came into effect in January 2023, granting courts the authority to compel journalists to reveal their confidential sources, potentially compromising press freedom.

October 2023: Mohamed Muizzu Sworn in as President

On 17 October 2023, Mohamed Muizzu was sworn in as the eighth President of the Republic of Maldives after winning the second-round runoff of the Maldives presidential election.

November 2023: Mohamed Muizzu Becomes President

Since 17 November 2023, Mohamed Muizzu is the current president of the Maldives.

2023: World Press Freedom Index Ranking

In 2023, Maldives was ranked one-hundred in the World Press Freedom Index.

April 2024: PNC Wins Super-Majority in Parliament

In April 2024, President Mohamed Muizzu's pro-China People's National Congress (PNC) won 66 seats in the 2024 Maldivian parliamentary election, giving the president the backing of 75 legislators, meaning a super-majority.