Maldives
Topic: India and her Neighbours · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 2 "India and Her Neighbours"; Class 11, Ch 1 "India - Location"
Meaning
The Maldives is an island country in the Indian Ocean, southwest of India. It is made up of more than 1,100 coral islets grouped into 26 atolls. (An atoll is a ring of coral islands around a lagoon.) Together with Sri Lanka, it is one of India's two island neighbours. Most of the land lies just above sea level, so a rise in sea level of about 1 m by 2100 could threaten it. To draw attention to this danger, its cabinet held a meeting underwater in 2009.
Example
The Maldives lies about 130 km from Minicoy (Lakshadweep), across the Eight Degree Channel. India sent help during the 2004 tsunami, the 2014 water crisis in Male and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Don't confuse with
- Nine Degree Channel: the Nine Degree Channel separates Minicoy from the main Lakshadweep islands. The Eight Degree Channel lies between Minicoy and the Maldives.