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History of Maldives
From antiquity to the modern era — the historical eras, key events, and narrative that shaped Maldives.
Overview
Maldives comprises 1,191 islands in the Indian Ocean. The earliest settlers were probably from southern India. Indo-European speakers followed them from Sri Lanka in the fourth and fifth centuries BC. In the 12th century AD, sailors from East Africa and Arab countries came to the islands. Today, the Maldivian ethnic identity is a blend of these cultures, reinforced by religion and language. Originally Buddhists, Maldivians were converted to Sunni Islam in the mid-12th century.
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Historical Eras
The major periods of {country}’s history at a glance.
Early Settlement
400 BCE – 1153
The earliest inhabitants of the Maldives were likely migrants from southern India, followed by Indo-European-speaking peoples from Sri Lanka around the 4th–5th centuries BCE. The islands developed as a Buddhist maritime society, with Arab and East African sailors gradually expanding their cultural influence. Maldivian legend attributes the founding of the first ruling line to a Sinhalese prince, Koi Male, who settled in the archipelago.
Islamic Sultanate
1153 – 1558
In 1153, the Maldives converted to Sunni Islam, marking the establishment of the sultanate and a profound transformation of Maldivian identity, law, and culture. The sultanate governed the archipelago as an independent polity for centuries, its rulers legitimized by Islamic authority and sustained by maritime trade across the Indian Ocean. Mopla pirates from the Malabar Coast periodically harassed the islands, yet the sultanate maintained its sovereignty.
Portuguese Occupation
1558 – 1573
Portugal conquered the Maldives in 1558, imposing foreign rule over the sultanate for fifteen years. The occupation was marked by resistance from the Maldivian population, culminating in the successful uprising led by the warrior-patriot Muhammad Thakurufar Al-Azam, who expelled the Portuguese in 1573. His victory restored the Islamic sultanate and enshrined him as a national hero.
British Protectorate
1887 – 1965
The Maldives formally became a British protectorate in 1887, with Britain controlling the archipelago's foreign affairs while the sultanate retained internal governance. In 1953 a brief republican experiment failed and the sultanate was restored. The protectorate relationship endured until July 25, 1965, when the Maldives achieved full independence, though it rejoined the Commonwealth only in 1982.
Second Republic & Modern Era
1968 – present
On November 11, 1968, the sultanate was abolished and the Republic of Maldives was proclaimed in its present form. The nation developed tourism and fishing as economic pillars, though it faces existential challenges from rising sea levels and was severely struck by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Political liberalization efforts, growing youth crime linked to heroin addiction, and climate vulnerability define the archipelago's contemporary trajectory.
Timeline Preview
The first 5 key events. View the full chronology on the timeline page.
1558 – 1573
Portuguese occupation, which ends after expulsion by locals.
Portuguese occupation, which ends after expulsion by locals.
1558
Islands become a protectorate first of the Dutch rulers of Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
Islands become a protectorate first of the Dutch rulers of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and later of the British who take control of Ceylon in 1796.
1982
Rejoins Commonwealth.
Rejoins Commonwealth.
2002
Concern over the Maldives’ vulnerability to rising sea levels.
Concern over the Maldives’ vulnerability to rising sea levels prompts government to announce decision to take legal action against US for refusing to sign Kyoto Protocol.
2004
Tsunami generated by a powerful undersea earthquake off the Indonesian coast hits the Maldives.
Scores of people are killed and many islands suffer severe damage when a tsunami generated by a powerful undersea earthquake off the Indonesian coast hits the Maldives. The government says the disaster has set development work back by 20 years.