9. Maldives, 298 square kilometers
The archipelago of the Maldives, located in the Indian Ocean, has a total of 1090 islands. But there are only 200 inhabited islands in the Maldives. This beautiful country has an area of only 298 square kilometers and a population of 3,93,500 people.
The Maldives have been inhabited since the 5th century BC. The Portuguese, Dutch and British empires dominated this country in the 16th, 17th and 19th centuries respectively. The Maldives finally became an independent country in 1965.
Many islands in the Maldives are only 1.5 meters above mean sea level. This low altitude makes the Maldives the lowest country in the world. Unfortunately, rising sea levels due to global warming are about to destroy many of the islands of the Maldives in the near future. At the same time, white sand beaches, coral reefs, rich marine life and turquoise water make the Maldives one of the most beautiful and popular tourist destinations in the world.
The Maldives, officially the Maldives, is an island country in South Asia located in the Indian Ocean, in the Arabian Sea. It is located southwest of India and Sri Lanka. A chain of twenty-six atolls stretches from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to the city of Addu in the south.
Covering an area of approximately 298 square kilometers (115 sq mi), the Maldives is one of the most geographically dispersed countries in the world, as well as the smallest Asian country in terms of area and population, with a population of just over 393,500. Male is the capital and most populous city, traditionally referred to as “King’s Island” due to its central location.