The Maldives as a country: government, language, money and basics
The Maldives is a small island country with its own government, language, religion and currency. These are the basic facts a visitor may want to know, checked against reference sources.
Name and government
- The official name is the Republic of Maldives. It is a unitary presidential republic with its capital in Malé. Where the Maldives are
- The current constitution dates from 2008. The president is elected by direct vote for five years and may serve no more than two terms. The parliament, the People’s Majlis, has 93 members elected for five years. The first multiparty presidential election was held on 8 October 2008.
- For administration the country is divided into 20 atolls plus the city of Malé. The 2022 census counted 515,132 people. The Maldives is a member of the Commonwealth; it left in October 2016 and was readmitted on 1 February 2020. History of the Maldives
Language, religion and money
- The official language is Dhivehi. The state religion is Sunni Islam, and the country’s rules for visitors follow from that. On the local islands, such as ours, dress and alcohol rules apply, so ask us before you pack.
- The currency is the Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR). We do not publish exchange rates here because they change; check the current rate before you travel.
Electricity and fresh water
- There is no national grid. Each inhabited island has its own power station, and most electricity comes from diesel made with imported fuel. All of the population has access to electricity. Solar-battery-diesel hybrid systems already work on about 160 islands.
- In Malé, drinking water comes from desalination, which began there in 1985. In older national surveys, most people on the outer atolls drank rainwater, while groundwater was used mainly for washing. We found no current national breakdown, so we do not give percentages.
- On our island, ask us about water and power on arrival and we will tell you what to expect.
Frequently asked questions
What is the official name of the Maldives?
The Republic of Maldives.
What is the capital of the Maldives?
Malé.
What language do they speak in the Maldives?
The official language is Dhivehi.
What is the currency of the Maldives?
The Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR).
Where does electricity come from in the Maldives?
Each inhabited island has its own power station. Most electricity comes from diesel generators, and solar hybrids are growing.
Reviewed by the Relax Residence team in October 2026.
