MALDIVES - INDEPENDENT FOREVER

The Repulic of Maldives celebrates 41 years of independence on 26 July 2006. The Maldives has a long and proud history of independence. Maldives was a British protectorate from 1887 to 1965 during which the British dealt with defence and foreign affairs of the country. The Maldives is a 100 per cent Muslim country having its own language "Dhivehi". 99 per cent of the polpulation of Maldives are literate.

The Maldives is an archipelago of some 1200 coral islands located in the Indian Ocean approximately 650 kilometres southwest of Sri Lanka stretching 750 km from north to south and 120 km across east to west. There are 200 inhabited islands with a population of over 300,000. Today the Maldives is famous tourist destination for its sunny weather, crystal clear water, white sandy beaches, and its colouful aquatic ecosystem. The economy is mainly dependent on tourism and fisheries. Tourist arrivals to the Maldives exceeded 500,000 in the year 2005.

The Maldivians converted to Islam in A.D 1153. From 1153 to 1968 six dynasties ruled the Maldives. The Portuguese captured and ruled the Maldives for 15 years beginning from 1558.

The great Muhammad Thakurufaanu defeated the Portuguese in 1573 and became Sultan. The Utheem Dynasty thereafter ruled the country for 127 years. From time to time Maldives was threatened by other forces.

The Maldives has always maintained a cordial relationship with the Sri Lankans and after independence with the Indians.

Since 99 per cent of the Maldives is sea, the locals are great seafarers. They were engaged in regional trade reaching to Sri Lanka and Indian sub-continent in large sailing vessels and transported across essential items to the Maldives.

In 1948 a public limited company was formed in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in the name of Maldives National Trading Corporation (Ceylon) Ltd. (popularly known as MNTC). The majority of equity shares were held by the Government of Maldives. The company engaged trading and chartering steamers to carry grain and food commodities to the Maldives.

In 1957 and 1958 MNTC purchased its first two cargo ships. The company grew steadily over the years and more ships were added to the fleet establishing regular shipping services from Ceylon to the Indian sub-continent and was extended to the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea and the Middle East.

The Maldives Shipping Limited (MSL) was incorporated in Maldives in May 1967 with 3 ships and by 1980 the company owned over 40 ships.