The Presidential Palace of Male, Typical Maldivian beach with tall

Maldives. palm trees and blue lagoons.

National Museum in the Sultan Maldives rudder fish (Kyphosus

Park cinerascens)

Grand Friday Mosque

A whale shark in the Maldives, one of
many animals that inhabit the reefs that
make up the whole country

Malé, the capital of Maldives.

A view of an island in Maldives.

Utheemu Ganduvaru, Ha. Utheemu.

Hukuru Miskiiy, Male (Old Friday Mosque)

Sultan Park, Male

Bandos Island Resort

The climate of Maldives is warm year round, determined by the monsoons. However,
being on the equator, the monsoons are mild and not as defined as in neighboring
countries. Of the two monsoons, the southwest monsoon from May to October, brings
some rain and wind. The northeast monsoon, from November to April, is the dry season
with very little wind. The temperature varies little with an annual average daily
maximum of 30.4 degrees Celsius and the minimum at 25.9 degrees Celsius.
 Only 10% of the land is estimated to be cultivable. Millet, corn, pumpkins,
sweet potatoes, pineapples, sugarcane, almonds, and many kinds of tropical
vegetables and fruits are successfully grown, largely in homestead gardens. Coconut
palms provide copra and coir, the most important exports after fish. Virtually all rice, a
staple food for the population, must be imported. Breadfruit, mangoes, papayas,
limes, bananas, pumpkins, watermelon, taro, and chili peppers are also
valuable crops. As of 1999, small amounts of corn, millet, and sorghum were
cultivated. Production in 1999 included 12,000 tons of coconuts and 2,000 tons of copra.

FISHERIES
CANNING
MANUFACTURING