The Maldives archipelago straddles the equator about 700 km southwest of Sri Lanka. With the Laccadives to the north and the Chagos to the south, they are part of a vast underwater mountain front (2,000 km) formed about sixty million years ago, on the ridges of which the coral reefs developed. The Maldives archipelago consists of about 1,190 coral islands covered with palm trees and mangrove bushes, divided into 26 natural atolls. The term atoll (derived from the word atholhu in the official Maldivian language, the dhivehi) refers to a coral belt of different sizes and shapes, enclosing within it lagoons, islands and reefs, interspersed with passes or canals. The Maldives offers a wonderful underwater world, amazing life and colors, a sight to be preserved and cared for.
