The Maldives, independent island country, is renowned for its white sandy beaches, strikingly blue water, unique underwater marine life, and luxury resorts. The archipelago consists of 1,190 coral islands in the Indian Ocean with the capital of Malé — part of Malé Atoll pictured on this postcard. All uninhabited islands in Malé Atoll are tourist resorts today. The official language of the Maldives is Dhivehi, which is a unique language (with roots in Sanskrit) spoken only by the people of Maldives.
