History of Maldives in Timeline

The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, is an archipelagic nation in South Asia, situated in the Indian Ocean southwest of India and Sri Lanka. 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.

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 restoration of the sultanate perpetuated the rule of the past.

1957: Prime Minister calls for review of agreement

In 1957, the new prime minister, Ibrahim Nasir, called for a review of the agreement with the United Kingdom.

1959: Secessionist Movement in Southern Atolls

In 1959, a local secessionist movement formed the United Suvadive Republic.

1960: United Kingdom allowed to use Gan and Hithadhoo facilities

In 1960 the Maldives allowed the United Kingdom to continue to use both the Gan and the Hithadhoo facilities for thirty years.

July 1965: Formal end of British authority

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

1965: Payment to the Maldives for economic development

From 1960 to 1965, the United Kingdom paid £750,000 to the Maldives for 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 which came with the style Highness.

November 1967: Vote in parliament to decide form of government

In November 1967, a vote was taken in parliament where 40 of 44 members voted in favor of a republic.

March 1968: National referendum held

On March 15, 1968, a national referendum was held with 93.34% voting to establish a republic.

November 1968: Declaration of the Republic

On November 11, 1968, the republic was declared, ending the 853-year-old monarchy.

1968: Penal Code law

In 1968 law the Penal Code was replaced.

1968: Establishment of a Presidential Republic

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

1968: Evacuation of Giraavaru Island

In 1968, the island of Giraavaru in the Maldives was evacuated due to heavy erosion, leading to the assimilation of the Giraavaru people into the larger Maldivian society.

1968: Republican constitution came into force

In 1968, the republican constitution came into force.

1970: Constitution amended

In 1970, the republican constitution was amended.

October 1972: Opening of the First Resort

On October 3, 1972, Kurumba Maldives welcomed its first guests, marking the beginning of tourism.

1972: Emergence of tourism

According to the Ministry of Tourism, the emergence of tourism in 1972 transformed the economy, moving rapidly from dependence on fisheries to tourism.

1972: Constitution amended

In 1972, the republican constitution was amended.

1972: Two Resorts

In 1972, there were two resorts.

1972: First tourist resorts opened

The first tourist resorts were opened in 1972 with Bandos Island Resort and Kurumba Village (the current name is Kurumba Maldives), which transformed the Maldives' economy.

1973: Establishment of Allied Health Services Training Centre

In 1973, the Allied Health Services Training Centre (the forerunner of the Faculty of Health Sciences) 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 traditional fishing boats

In 1974, the mechanisation of the traditional fishing boat called dhoni marked a significant milestone in the development of the fisheries industry in the Maldives.

1975: Arrest and Exile of Ahmed Zaki

In 1975, elected prime minister Ahmed Zaki was arrested and exiled.

1975: Constitution amended

In 1975, the republican constitution was amended.

1976: Closure of RAF Gan airfield

In 1976, the British closed the RAF Gan airfield.

December 1977: First Accurate Census Held

In December 1977, the first accurate census showed 142,832 people living in the Maldives.

1977: Installation of fish canning plant

In 1977, a fish canning plant was installed on Felivaru as a joint venture with a Japanese firm, contributing to the growth of the fisheries sector in the Maldives.

1977: Infant mortality rate

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

December 1978: Haveeru Daily News registered

On 28 December 1978, Haveeru Daily News, the country's first daily newspaper, was registered in the Maldives.

1978: Population doubles

By 1978, the population of the Maldives had doubled, and life expectancy at birth stood at 46 years.

1978: Maumoon Abdul Gayoom began his presidency

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

1978: Nasir flees to Singapore

In 1978, President Nasir fled to Singapore.

1979: Fisheries Advisory Board set up

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

1980: Coup attempt

In 1980, there was a coup attempt by Nasir supporters and business interests to topple the government.

1982: Maldives joins the Commonwealth

In 1982, the Maldives joined the Commonwealth, some 17 years after gaining independence from the United Kingdom.

1983: Coup attempt

In 1983, there was a coup attempt by Nasir supporters and business interests to topple the government.

1984: Creation of the Institute for Teacher Education

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

1985: Peak population growth rate

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 tourist industry in the Maldives.

November 1988: Defeat of coup d'état

In November 1988, the Indian Air Force airlifted troops to the Maldives to defeat a coup led by Ibrahim Lutfee and Sikka Ahmed Ismail Manik.

1988: Sea rise claim

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 and Intervention of Indian Troops

In 1988, a coup attempt involving PLOTE mercenaries was quelled by the intervention of Indian troops.

1990: Infant mortality rate

In 1990, infant mortality 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: Maldives becomes official progress monitor

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

November 1997: Constitution assented to by President Maumoon

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

January 1998: Constitution came into force

On 1 January 1998, the Constitution assented to by President Maumoon came into force.

1998: El Niño wake-up call

Before 1998, there was never thought that this reef would die. El Niño gave us a wake-up call that these things are not going to be there forever. Not only this, but they also act as a natural barrier against tropical storms, floods, and tsunamis. Seaweeds grow on the skeletons of dead coral.

1998: Coral bleaching due to El Niño

In 1998, sea-temperature warming of as much as 5 °C due to a single El Niño phenomenon event caused coral bleaching and killed two-thirds of the nation's coral reefs.

1998: Founding of Maldives College of Higher Education

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

January 1999: Founding of the Institute of Shar'ah and Law

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

2000: Sinhalese population in the Maldives

In 2000, a small Sinhalese population in the Maldives made up about 0.7% of the total population.

2000: Population concentrated in Male

In 2000, approximately 27% of the Maldivian population resided in Male.

2000: First degree program launched

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

2000: Decline in population growth rate

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

2002: Maldives expresses interest in the commission

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

2003: Founding of the Maldivian Democratic Party

In 2003, Mohamed Nasheed founded the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

December 2004: Tsunami devastates the Maldives

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

2004: Economic downturn following the tsunami

Following the 2004 tsunami, the Maldives faced an economic downturn.

2004: Infant mortality rate

In 2004, infant mortality in the Maldives fell to 15 per 1,000.

2004: Coral regeneration witnessed

In 2004, scientists witnessed corals regenerating through the use of electrified cones to provide a substrate for larval coral attachment, corals began to eject pink-orange eggs and sperm.

2006: Population reaches 298,968

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

2007: IPCC report predicts sea level rise

In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report predicted that sea level rise will be 59 centimetres by 2100, potentially requiring the abandonment of most of the republic's inhabited islands.

2007: Number of resorts increased to 92

The number of resorts increased from 2 to 92 between 1972 and 2007. As of 2007, over 8,380,000 tourists had visited the Maldives.

August 2008: Current Constitution ratified

On 7 August 2008, the current Constitution of the Maldives was ratified by President Maumoon, and came into effect immediately, replacing and repealing the constitution of 1998.

2008: Resort capacity and tourist arrivals

As of 2008, 89 resorts in the Maldives offered over 17,000 beds and hosted over 600,000 tourists annually.

2008: Nasheed announces plans to purchase land

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, with funding from tourism.

2008: Maldives had not applied for membership

In 2008, the Maldives still had not applied for membership.

2008: First Direct Presidential Elections

In 2008, the first direct presidential elections occurred, which were won by Nasheed.

2008: Adoption of the constitution

Since the adoption of the 2008 constitution, Islam is established as the country's state religion in the Maldives, and Maldivian citizens are required by law to follow Sunni Islam.

2008: Constitution declares Islam official religion

The 2008 constitution says that the republic "is based on the principles of Islam" and that "no law contrary to any principle of Islam can be applied". Non-Muslims are prohibited from becoming citizens.

2009: Underwater cabinet meeting

In 2009, Mohamed Nasheed hosted the world's first underwater cabinet meeting to raise awareness of the threat posed by climate change.

2009: International Climate Talks

In 2009, Nasheed stated at the International Climate Talks that: [The text abruptly ends here]

2009: Reform process made headway

In 2009, reform process made headway in Maldives.

2010: Fisheries contribution to GDP

As of 2010, fisheries contributed over 15% of the Maldives' GDP and engaged about 30% of the country's workforce, making it the second-largest foreign exchange earner after tourism.

2010: Reform process made headway

In 2010, reform process made headway in Maldives.

2010: Projected population

In 2010, the population of the Maldives was projected to have reached 317,280.

January 2011: Maldives National University Act passed

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

February 2011: Maldives National University named

On 15 February 2011, Maldives National University was named.

2011: Life expectancy at birth

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

2011: Freedom House declares Maldives "Partly Free"

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

In late 2011, social and political unrest grew in the Maldives.

February 2012: Nasheed Resigns from Office

In February 2012, Nasheed resigned from office after police and army mutinied.

2012: Nasheed warns of underwater country

In 2012, former president Mohamed Nasheed said that at the current rate of carbon emissions, his country would be underwater in seven years.

2012: US report on human rights practices

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

2013: Seaplane companies merge

In 2013, two seaplane companies in the Maldives, TMA (Trans Maldivian Airways) and Maldivian Air Taxi, merged under the name TMA, operating a fleet made up of DHC-6 Twin Otters.

2013: Highly contested presidential election

The 2013 Maldivian presidential election results were highly contested.

July 2015: New penal code comes into effect

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

2015: College of Islamic Studies changed into 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 on President Yameen

In late 2015, President Yameen survived an assassination attempt.

October 2016: Maldives withdraws from the Commonwealth

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

2016: Dissolution of Haveeru Daily News

In 2016, Haveeru Daily News, the first and longest–serving newspaper in the Maldives, was dissolved.

2016: Severe coral bleaching incident

In 2016, the coral reefs of the Maldives experienced a severe bleaching incident. Up to 95% of coral around some islands died, and, even after six months, 100% of young coral transplants died. The surface water temperatures reached an all-time high in 2016, at 31 degrees Celsius in May.

May 2017: PSM news founded

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

November 2018: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih sworn in as president

In November 2018, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, having won the most votes in the 2018 election, was sworn in as the Maldives' new president.

2018: Administration seeks to rejoin Commonwealth

Following his election as president in 2018, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration sought to rejoin the Commonwealth after showing evidence of democratic reform.

2018: UN Human Rights chief terms situation as "assault on democracy"

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

April 2019: Maldivian Democratic Party wins landslide victory

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

July 2019: Adeeb freed but placed under travel ban

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: Abdulla Yameen sentenced to prison

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

2019: Manta Air seaplane service begins

In 2019, Manta Air began its first scheduled seaplane service in the Maldives, utilizing DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft, and also operating domestic flights with ATR 72–600 aircraft to various airports from Velana International Airport.

2019: Over 1.7 million visitors

In 2019, over 1.7 million visitors came to the islands.

2019: Maldives signed the UN treaty

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

February 2020: Maldives readmitted to the Commonwealth

On 1 February 2020, Maldives was readmitted to the Commonwealth after showing evidence of democratic reform.

February 2020: Readmission to the Commonwealth

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

2020: Study on island adaptation to sea level rise

In 2020, a three-year study at the University of Plymouth found that tides move sediment to create a higher elevation, which could help low-lying islands adjust to sea level rise. The research also reported that sea walls were compromising islands' ability to adjust to rising sea levels.

2020: Christian population

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

January 2021: High Court upholds jail sentence

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

May 2021: COVID-19 outbreak

In May 2021, the Maldives experienced the world's fastest-growing COVID-19 outbreak, with the highest number of infections per million people, 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.

2022: Russian oligarchs seek refuge in Maldives

As a result of sanctions imposed upon the Russian oligarchs by the West in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, many of them sought refuge for their mega-yachts in the Maldives due to the absence of an extradition treaty with the United States and other countries.

2022: Population concentrated in Male

In 2022, approximately 41% of the Maldivian population resided in Male.

2022: Population Census

In 2022, the Maldives population was recorded as 515,132, making it the second least populous country in Asia.

January 2023: Evidence Act comes into effect

In January 2023, the Evidence Act came into effect, granting courts the authority to compel journalists to reveal their confidential sources.

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 election.

November 2023: Mohamed Muizzu serving as president

Since 17 November 2023 Mohamed Muizzu is serving as the current president.

2023: World Press Freedom Index ranking

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

April 2024: PNC wins majority in parliamentary election

In April 2024, President Mohamed Muizzu's pro-China People's National Congress (PNC) won 66 seats in the 2024 Maldivian parliamentary election, while its allies took nine.

June 2024: Government bans Israeli passport holders

In June 2024, the government of the Maldives decided to ban Israeli passport holders from entering the country, as a response to the ongoing Gaza war.