Tiny but Big!
Ismail Imadudeen
October 23, 2009
Contradiction is a reality in our puzzling world; sometimes drawing a clear cut line to identify things is not an easy affair. Here we have a unique instance of such phenomenon which can be absolutely described as tiny in some aspects, but, however, can be seen as big and great in some other ways.
Amazing crystal blue water that gleams under the bright full moon’s light. Wonderful and countless colorful sea creatures. Clear, unpolluted and bright sky with sun shine. Amazing sunset with the sun nesting so slowly in the endless horizon. The sound of the gentle breeze playing with the branches and leaves of the beautiful trees and the sound of the tender waves moving towards the white sandy beach are the only things that may interrupt the extreme serenity that you can ever reach!
Although these may sound like a part of a tour agent’s promo or a fictional novel; it is simply what I have personally experienced with my own senses.
The Maldives, or the “Floating Paradise,” as described by the Egyptian writer Husein Fouzi, is probably one of the most gorgeous places on earth that one can spot, and equally, one of the most breath - taking destinations where one feels that he/she must visit and see.
Maldives could be described ‘tiny’ in almost every aspect of geography; for example, the country comprises 1200 islands of total size of about 300 square kilo meters. This explains how tiny would the islands be. Some of them are not more than a few meters long and a few others in width! The capital of the country, Male` is only 2 km by 1.5 km! And the population of the country is a few more than a quarter million people, scattered on 200 islands!
Being located as far as about 650 km or so off the south western coast of India and Sri Lanka, the Maldives could enjoy geographical specialty and independence from its neighbors in South Asia. Perhaps, one of the most exciting moments for any visitor of those tiny islands is when the plane comes right above the archipelago, as the spectacular scenes from the plane take the passengers away in their dreams of their coming stay in that piece of heaven! Many pilots get troubles managing the plane’s balance for the passengers moving impatiently right and left to catch this scene or the other!
The location and specialty of the Maldives contributed somehow to its independence allover its history except for relatively short periods of time when it was invaded by the Portuguese and some other mercenaries and pirates from South Asia. The Maldives was a British protectorate from 1887 until 25 July 1965, when it got its independence. Maldives became republic, after abolishing the monarchy, on November 1968 and it continues to be a republic until today.
The amazing thing about Maldivians throughout their history is that though the world knew very little about them, they kept themselves updated with everything that occur either closer to them, in southern Asia, or elsewhere on earth. They knew more about the world than the world knew about them!
Many of the Maldivians were traders and sailors; they traveled the seas all along and traded in many harbors from South Asia and China to the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Many Maldivian families sent their children to the Middle East for religious education, as the Maldivians have been 100% Muslims for centuries. This manner continues until today, except for a negligible fraction who converted to Christianity, and even the previous president of the country, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (1978 – 2008) and many members of his government have got their education in Al-Azhar University of Egypt.
In fact Mr. Gayoom’s government should get the credit they deserve for transforming the country from mere subsistent fishing economy to a modern one; Maldives enjoyed under that long serving government remarkable achievements in comparison to her neighbors in South Asia; Maldives enjoys the highest literacy rate, the highest per capita GDP and the strongest currency in the region. These things did not happen by chance; they are the result of the relentless work of the ex-government and the innovative, entrepreneurial and creative nature of the Maldivian people.
Another great example of how the Maldives is great and big was the momentous democratic transfer that took place in the country and resulted in the historic devolution of power in November 2008 from the long serving Gayoom’s government to the new government headed by H. E. Mr. Mohamed Nasheed. Though some disturbances took place, and there was some price to pay, I should say the transfer is still a successful model that must be looked at with great respect and should get the attention it deserves especially by those who are interested in democratic change in the Middle East and Africa.
An interesting thing about Maldives politics is that The State of Israel was the first country to send an ambassador to Malé after the United Kingdom relinquished control over Maldives external relations. The Israeli ambassador presented his credentials to His Majesty King Mohamed Farid in 1965.
This made the Maldives the first Muslim country to recognize the State of Israel and establish diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level. However, the relations did experience ups and downs until the present government decided to bring those relations to a sound level. I think that the Israelis, who are believed to be holiday maniac, have celebrated a lot (it has to be mentioned though that Israelis have never been officially banned from visiting the Maldives). Maldivians need more scholarships, technological and financial assistances, and I believe that Israeli businessmen could make use of the booming tourism industry there. The fishing industry in the Maldives, on the other hand, still has a lot of potentials that the Israeli experts may get to the surface.
This initiative by the new Maldivian government is yet another example of how Maldives is big and great; as it could provide evidence to the hardliner government in Israel that peace and normalization with the Arab and Muslim world can benefit the Israeli people more than stubbornness and tension.
On October 17th, Mr. Nasheed’s Cabinet surprised the world by the first ever underwater cabinet meeting to highlight the likely dangers that face the Maldives from the greenhouse gases. This unique and unprecedented message came from underwater to the whole globe to remind people that man is destroying life and beauty, and it is about time to stop madness and think wise; the planet is ours and the disaster will affect all.
It will be a shame to the world if we lose such floating paradise!
Special thanks to Mr. Chris: http://www.maldivesroyalfamily.com/]
Amazing crystal blue water that gleams under the bright full moon’s light. Wonderful and countless colorful sea creatures. Clear, unpolluted and bright sky with sun shine. Amazing sunset with the sun nesting so slowly in the endless horizon. The sound of the gentle breeze playing with the branches and leaves of the beautiful trees and the sound of the tender waves moving towards the white sandy beach are the only things that may interrupt the extreme serenity that you can ever reach!
Although these may sound like a part of a tour agent’s promo or a fictional novel; it is simply what I have personally experienced with my own senses.
The Maldives, or the “Floating Paradise,” as described by the Egyptian writer Husein Fouzi, is probably one of the most gorgeous places on earth that one can spot, and equally, one of the most breath - taking destinations where one feels that he/she must visit and see.
Maldives could be described ‘tiny’ in almost every aspect of geography; for example, the country comprises 1200 islands of total size of about 300 square kilo meters. This explains how tiny would the islands be. Some of them are not more than a few meters long and a few others in width! The capital of the country, Male` is only 2 km by 1.5 km! And the population of the country is a few more than a quarter million people, scattered on 200 islands!
Being located as far as about 650 km or so off the south western coast of India and Sri Lanka, the Maldives could enjoy geographical specialty and independence from its neighbors in South Asia. Perhaps, one of the most exciting moments for any visitor of those tiny islands is when the plane comes right above the archipelago, as the spectacular scenes from the plane take the passengers away in their dreams of their coming stay in that piece of heaven! Many pilots get troubles managing the plane’s balance for the passengers moving impatiently right and left to catch this scene or the other!
The location and specialty of the Maldives contributed somehow to its independence allover its history except for relatively short periods of time when it was invaded by the Portuguese and some other mercenaries and pirates from South Asia. The Maldives was a British protectorate from 1887 until 25 July 1965, when it got its independence. Maldives became republic, after abolishing the monarchy, on November 1968 and it continues to be a republic until today.
The amazing thing about Maldivians throughout their history is that though the world knew very little about them, they kept themselves updated with everything that occur either closer to them, in southern Asia, or elsewhere on earth. They knew more about the world than the world knew about them!
Many of the Maldivians were traders and sailors; they traveled the seas all along and traded in many harbors from South Asia and China to the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Many Maldivian families sent their children to the Middle East for religious education, as the Maldivians have been 100% Muslims for centuries. This manner continues until today, except for a negligible fraction who converted to Christianity, and even the previous president of the country, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom (1978 – 2008) and many members of his government have got their education in Al-Azhar University of Egypt.
In fact Mr. Gayoom’s government should get the credit they deserve for transforming the country from mere subsistent fishing economy to a modern one; Maldives enjoyed under that long serving government remarkable achievements in comparison to her neighbors in South Asia; Maldives enjoys the highest literacy rate, the highest per capita GDP and the strongest currency in the region. These things did not happen by chance; they are the result of the relentless work of the ex-government and the innovative, entrepreneurial and creative nature of the Maldivian people.
Another great example of how the Maldives is great and big was the momentous democratic transfer that took place in the country and resulted in the historic devolution of power in November 2008 from the long serving Gayoom’s government to the new government headed by H. E. Mr. Mohamed Nasheed. Though some disturbances took place, and there was some price to pay, I should say the transfer is still a successful model that must be looked at with great respect and should get the attention it deserves especially by those who are interested in democratic change in the Middle East and Africa.
An interesting thing about Maldives politics is that The State of Israel was the first country to send an ambassador to Malé after the United Kingdom relinquished control over Maldives external relations. The Israeli ambassador presented his credentials to His Majesty King Mohamed Farid in 1965.
This made the Maldives the first Muslim country to recognize the State of Israel and establish diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level. However, the relations did experience ups and downs until the present government decided to bring those relations to a sound level. I think that the Israelis, who are believed to be holiday maniac, have celebrated a lot (it has to be mentioned though that Israelis have never been officially banned from visiting the Maldives). Maldivians need more scholarships, technological and financial assistances, and I believe that Israeli businessmen could make use of the booming tourism industry there. The fishing industry in the Maldives, on the other hand, still has a lot of potentials that the Israeli experts may get to the surface.
This initiative by the new Maldivian government is yet another example of how Maldives is big and great; as it could provide evidence to the hardliner government in Israel that peace and normalization with the Arab and Muslim world can benefit the Israeli people more than stubbornness and tension.
On October 17th, Mr. Nasheed’s Cabinet surprised the world by the first ever underwater cabinet meeting to highlight the likely dangers that face the Maldives from the greenhouse gases. This unique and unprecedented message came from underwater to the whole globe to remind people that man is destroying life and beauty, and it is about time to stop madness and think wise; the planet is ours and the disaster will affect all.
It will be a shame to the world if we lose such floating paradise!
Special thanks to Mr. Chris: http://www.maldivesroyalfamily.com/]