Malé City: The Capital of the Maldives

The tiny but densely populated city of Male features a contrast to the laid-back beach resorts found in much of the rest of the Maldives. Many visitors see nothing more of the Maldives than the airport and their resort; but exploring the capital is like taking a step through the looking glass, ànd more than 120,000 people on two square kilometers make it one of the most densely populated cities on the planet that almost seems to be floating, some 800 kilometres from the next nearest metropolis.

Male, founded in the XV century - the capital and the main city in the Maldives is located on the island of the same name located in the southern corner of North Male Atoll. This is not only a transport hub, but also an economic, social, educational and medical center. The island is 1.7 km long and 1 km wide filled with climbing buildings, and Male is one of the exotic mini-capitals of the world. It is not surprising that now more than a third of the country's population lives here.

The new island of Hulumale, located in the lagoon of Hululhe, where the main international airport of Maldives is also located, in the future should provide additional space for metropolitan residents.