The

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

, officially the Republic of Maldives, is a small archipelagic state in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about 700 kilometres (430 mi) from the Asian continent's mainland. The chain of 26 atolls stretches across the Equator from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to Addu Atoll in the south. The land area is roughly 298 square kilometres (115 sq mi). Malé is the capital. The Maldives has white sand beaches, coral reefs, clear warm waters, numerous scuba diving sites and rich marine life. Most holiday resorts in the Maldives have a scuba diving facility and there are a number of

liveaboard Liveaboard can mean: *Someone who makes a boat, typically a small yacht in a marina, their primary residence. Powerboats and cruising sailboats are commonly used for living aboard, as well as houseboats which are designed primarily as a res ...

operators offering scuba diving cruise holidays. In 1998, the Maldives were severely damaged and much of the coral was bleached due to the

El Niño El Niño (; ; ) is the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and is associated with a band of warm ocean water that develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific (approximately between the International Date L ...

event.

History

The Maldives has been growing in popularity as a scuba diving destination since the 1970s when the number of resorts began to increase.

Statistics

Tourist arrivals to the Maldives have been growing steadily for the past ten years, with the exception of 2005 (the year after the

tsunami A tsunami ( ; from ja, 津波, lit=harbour wave, ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explo ...

), when the numbers dropped. Around 700,000 tourists visit the Maldives each year (2008).

Impact of climate change on the underwater environment

Climate change has severely impacted coral reefs around the world as has been widely reported such as the effects of the

in late 1990s, according to some around 60%-80% of the corals have been bleached in several areas in the world including the Maldives reefs.

Impact of tourism on the underwater environment

Reports have described the socio-economic impact on the environment as a result of mass tourism expansion in the Maldives.

Diving destinations and sites

The Maldives comprises mainly open water, with only 1% of the country being land-based. The land is spread over 1,192 islets, each of which forms part of an atoll. In total, there are 26

atolls An atoll () is a ring-shaped island, including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands or cays on the rim. Atolls are located in warm tropical or subtropical oceans and seas where corals can grow ...

in the Maldives. The following atolls are home to some of the dive sites. The Maldives offers different types of dives, but most are characterized by medium to strong currents. Terminology: * A ''thila'' is an underwater pinnacle. * ''Kandu'' are diving spots around the border of the atoll. * Each island in the Maldives has its own

lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') a ...

, usually not very deep.

Ari Atoll

Located in the western part of the Maldives,

Ari Atoll Ari Atoll (also called Alif or Alifu Atoll) is one of the natural atolls of the Maldives. It is one of the biggest atolls and is located in the west of the archipelago. The almost rectangular alignment spreads the islands over an area of about ...

is one of the largest atolls and has a wide selection of dive sites, including: Diguru Guri A dive site near Ellaidhoo Island. Broken Rock Named for a large broken rock at the center of this dive site, Broken Rock is home to soft and hard coral formations that attract a wide variety of reef fish. Gangehi Kandu Recommended only for advanced scuba divers, the Gangehi Kandu dive site is in the northern part of the Ari Atoll. Currents here can be an issue, and the site should only be dived when the currents are flowing into the site. Hukrueli Faru Also known as Rangali Madivaru or just Madivaru, Hukrueli Faru has a colorful coral reef. Kudarah Thila Declared a “Protected Marine Area” by the Maldivian government, Kudarah Thila is a dive site with incoming currents. Maalhos Thila Maalhos Thila is only suitable for advanced scuba divers because the main part of the dive site lies deeper than 25 metres. Because of the strong currents, a safety float must be deployed to monitor divers’ location. Maaya Thila Maaya Thila is a spot for daytime and night-time scuba diving. However, when currents are strong it is recommended for only advanced divers and they will need to deploy a safety float. Mushi Mas Mingili Thila Fish Head or Mushi Mas Mingili is a popular dive sites in the Maldives. Kalhahandi Kandu Kalhahandi Kandu is recommended mainly for advanced scuba divers. Gudrun Faru Recommended only for advanced scuba divers and good snorkelers, the Gudrun Faru reef is in the northern part of the Ari Atoll.

Baa Atoll

The Blue Hole A 22-meter underwater cave/chimney. Swim through, stingrays, blacktip reef sharks, moray eels, lionfish. The reef starts at around 1m with the top of the Blue Hole at around 6m, with a small exit at 12m and the bottom exit at around 22m. Milaidhoo Caves The top of the reef is at around 3m, sloping down to a sandy bottom at up to 40m with many small caves and overhangs along the reef wall. Dhega Thila The top of this thila is at 13m and there is a canyon at 24m. This advanced level dive site slopes down to 30m with interesting rock formations. Dhigu Thila This long, narrow thila is at 9m to 30m, and along the edge there are many caves and overhangs. Dhonfanu Thila This Thila extends from 9m down to 35m, with some caves to explore and the swim-through starts at 25m. Dharavandhoo Thila The shallowest part of this thila is 6m, going down to 30m. There are caves at different depths and an abundance of marine life. Nelivaru Thila Starting at 5m, this thila is a hotspot for manta rays during the season, but throughout the year there is a vast assortment of marine life to see. Rock formations, fan corals, nurse sharks, stingrays, and schooling fishes Dhigali Thila The top of this thila is at 10m, and it extends down to 30m, with canyons and caves to explore. Aidhoo Corner The shallow top reef at 3-5m slopes down to more than 40m. This corner dive on Aidhoo island has soft coral, groups of snappers and overhangs.

South Male Atoll

The Male Atoll is divided into 2 sections, the North Male Atoll and the South Male Atoll. Cocoa Corner (Cocoa Thila) Cocoa Corner is a dive site that can be explored in several different ways. With the right current and conditions, it is the best shark show around Male Atoll. A safety float is required, and divers should be prepared to make a

midwater This is a glossary of technical terms, jargon, diver slang and acronyms used in underwater diving. The definitions listed are in the context of underwater diving. There may be other meanings in other contexts. Underwater diving can be describ ...

safety stop. Guraidhoo Kandu South Currents here are strong, making this a dive site appropriate only for advanced, experienced scuba divers. Divers should be very cautious at this dive site, as the currents can pull them away from the reef and there is often underwater turbulence.

North Male Atoll

The North Male Atoll is one of the most developed atolls in terms of hotel and resort development. Banana Reef Currents can be strong at times around this reef, with occasional turbulence occurring around the overhangs. The use of a safety float is recommended. Kuda Haa Kuda Haa is a pinnacle, or thila, dive.

Addu Atoll

Addu Atoll Addu Atoll, also known as Seenu Atoll, is the southernmost atoll of the Maldives. Addu Atoll, together with Fuvahmulah, located 40 km north of Addu Atoll, extend the Maldives into the Southern Hemisphere. Addu Atoll is located 540 k ...

is the only area in the Maldives that was not affected by the 1998 global coral bleaching. ''British Loyalty'' The wreck is 134 metres long and lies at a depth of 33 metres, on its port side. Kottey Outside Kottey Outside is a series of plateaus, with a steep drop off. Turtle Point A possibility of waves, surge and currents. A lot of coral damage on most of the reef due to the wave action. Bodu Hoholha

Wall diving Underwater diving, as a human activity, is the practice of descending below the water's surface to interact with the environment. It is also often referred to as diving (disambiguation), diving, an ambiguous term with several possible meani ...

site near to a man-made channel which is used by local fishing boats so divers should look and listen for boat traffic when ascending. Maa Kandu Outside Easy reef wall dive. Mahaala Maahala is on the end of Kuda Kan’du Channel, behind Fihali Fara. There may be surge and surf at the top of the reef, particularly in the shallower areas.

Marine biodiversity

Maldives Oriental sweetlips, Plectorhinchus vittatus

The Maldives have a range of different habitats including deep sea, shallow coast, and reef ecosystems, fringing mangroves, wetlands and dry land. There are 187 species of coral forming the

coral reefs A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of Colony (biology), colonies of coral polyp (zoology), polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, wh ...

. This area of the Indian Ocean, alone, houses 1,100

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of fish, 5 species of

sea turtle Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea), sometimes called marine turtles, are reptiles of the order Testudines and of the suborder Cryptodira. The seven existing species of sea turtles are the flatback, green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, ...

, 21 species of whale and dolphin, 400 species of mollusc, and 83 species of echinoderms. The area is also populated by a number of crustacean species: 120 copepods, 15 amphipods, more than 145 crab and 48 shrimp species. Among the many marine families represented are

pufferfish Tetraodontidae is a family of primarily marine and estuarine fish of the order Tetraodontiformes. The family includes many familiar species variously called pufferfish, puffers, balloonfish, blowfish, blowies, bubblefish, globefish, swellfis ...

fusiliers Fusilier is a name given to various kinds of soldiers; its meaning depends on the historical context. While fusilier is derived from the 17th-century French word ''fusil'' – meaning a type of flintlock musket – the term has been used in co ...

, jackfish,

lionfish ''Pterois'' is a genus of venomous marine fish, commonly known as lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific. Also called firefish, turkeyfish, tastyfish, or butterfly-cod, it is characterized by conspicuous warning coloration with red, white, crea ...

oriental sweetlips The Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips (''Plectorhinchus vittatus''), also known as the oriental sweetlips or oriental blubberlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfam ...

reef sharks This article lists several species of reef-associated sharks which are known by the common name reef sharks. In the Indian and Pacific Oceans: * Blacktip reef shark * Grey reef shark * Whitetip reef shark In the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans: * Ga ...

grouper Groupers are fish of any of a number of genera in the subfamily Epinephelinae of the family Serranidae, in the order Perciformes. Not all serranids are called "groupers"; the family also includes the sea basses. The common name "grouper" is u ...

eel Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 19 families, 111 genera, and about 800 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage ...

s, snappers,

bannerfish The butterflyfish are a group of conspicuous tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae; the bannerfish and coralfish are also included in this group. The approximately 129 species in 12 genera are found mostly on the reefs of the Atlant ...

, batfish, humphead wrasse,

spotted eagle ray The spotted eagle ray (''Aetobatus narinari'') is a cartilaginous fish of the eagle ray family, Myliobatidae. As traditionally recognized, it is found globally in tropical regions, including the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Recent auth ...

s, scorpionfish,

lobster Lobsters are a family (biology), family (Nephropidae, Synonym (taxonomy), synonym Homaridae) of marine crustaceans. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Three of their five pairs of legs ...

nudibranches Nudibranchs () are a group of soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs which shed their shells after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colours and striking forms, and they have been given colourful nicknames to match, ...

angelfish Angelfish may refer to: *Several groups of fish: **Freshwater angelfish, tropical cichlids of the genus ''Pterophyllum'' **Marine angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae **Atlantic pomfret (''Brama brama''), sold by fishmongers as "angelfish" in Sou ...

butterflyfish The butterflyfish are a group of conspicuous tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae; the bannerfish and coralfish are also included in this group. The approximately 129 species in 12 genera are found mostly on the reefs of the Atlant ...

squirrelfish Holocentrinae is a subfamily of Holocentridae containing 40 recognized species and one proposed species. Its members are typically known as squirrelfish and all are nocturnal. All three genera in the subfamily are found in the Atlantic and ''Hol ...

soldierfish Myripristinae is a subfamily of the Holocentridae Holocentridae is a family of ray-finned fish, the only family of the order Holocentriformes. The members of the subfamily Holocentrinae are typically known as squirrelfish, while the members of ...

, glassfish,

surgeonfish Acanthuridae are the family of surgeonfishes, tangs, and unicornfishes. The family includes about 86 extant species of marine fish living in tropical seas, usually around coral reefs. Many of the species are brightly colored and popular in ...

, unicornfish,

triggerfish Triggerfish are about 40 species of often brightly colored fish of the family Balistidae. Often marked by lines and spots, they inhabit tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world, with the greatest species richness in the Indo-Pacific. ...

Napoleon wrasse The humphead wrasse (''Cheilinus undulatus'') is a large species of wrasse mainly found on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. It is also known as the Māori wrasse, Napoleon wrasse, Napoleon fish, Napoleonfish, ''so mei'' 蘇眉 (Cantonese), ...

, and

barracuda A barracuda, or cuda for short, is a large, predatory, ray-finned fish known for its fearsome appearance and ferocious behaviour. The barracuda is a saltwater fish of the genus ''Sphyraena'', the only genus in the family Sphyraenidae, which was ...

. These coral reefs provide habitats to a variety of marine organisms that vary from

plankton Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms found in Hydrosphere, water (or atmosphere, air) that are unable to propel themselves against a Ocean current, current (or wind). The individual organisms constituting plankton are called plankt ...

to whale sharks.

Economic importance

Facilities and legal constraints

* Medical facilities for treatment of diving injuries. * Legal constraints on underwater activity. The Maldives Recreational Diving Regulation, 2003 requires that recreational diving service providers are to be licensed. No recreational diving is allowed deeper than 30 m or requiring decompression stops. Divers must show evidence of certification and recent experience, and solo diving is forbidden. * Service infrastructure for scuba tourism

References

External links

Diving in Maldives: INFO
{{Underwater diving, recdiv

Economy of the Maldives Tourism in the Maldives Environment of the Maldives Water in the Maldives