Updated: 21/08/2006 22:51:08

A brief history of Maldives History Paper The First Dhivehin  Who were the first settlers of Maldives? It is a difficult question to answer because all traces of their lives in these islands were lost a long time ago. There are the remains of ancient Buddhist temples dating from the 2nd century A.D. and some materials from even earlier times. Most exciting is the evidence gained from the dispersal of cowrie shells from the Maldives to many countries of the ancient world at a period further back in time, indicating a much earlier date for the peopling of these islands. Maldive cowrie shells called cypraea  moneta, dating back to more than 2000 B.C., have been found in China and the Middle East. Maldives was the only source for this type of cowrie, and was sometimes called the "Cowrie Islands" by Arab travellers. The Chinese knew that these shells originated in islands in the Indian Ocean. more 500 BC Possibly the first settlers arrive on the islands.  1152 AD Conversion to Islam; start of the sultanate.  1558 The Maldivian nation enters a dark era under  the Portuguese that lasts for approximately 15 years. 1573 Portuguese rule comes to an end after a successful Maldivian uprising. 1752  The Ali Rajas attack the archipelago, kidnap the sultan and take over the islands.  Their victory is short-lived and  after a few weeks the Maldivians gain their independence again.  1887 Maldives becomes a British protectorate. 1932 The first constitution is drawn but discarded in 1939.  1953  Maldives becomes a republic after abolishing the sultanate, but the country reverts back to the sultanate shortly afterwards.   1956 The British lease the island of Gan in the southern-most atoll of Seenu (Addu).  1957  Ibrahim Nasir is elected prime minister.  He changes the conditions of the lease on Gan and demands that the British stop employing local labour.   1959 Objecting to Nasir’s changes, the inhabitants of the three southernmost atolls protest against the government.  They form the United Suvadive Islands and elect a president, Abdulla Afif Didi.  1962  Nasir dispatches gunboats to end the rebellion in the southern atolls.  Afif Didi other leaders are banished to different islands.  1965 The British relinquish protectorate status.  Maldives becomes independent.  1968 The second republic is formed with Ibrahim Nasir as president.   1972 The country is opened to tourism.  1974 On 24th June a crowd gathers to protest against the rising food prices.  Nasir orders the police to open fire.  1978 Fearing for his life, Nasir retires to Singapore.  Abdul Gayyoom is elected the new president.  He denounces Nasir’s regime and banishes its corrupt members. 1980 An attempted coup against coup Gayyoom fails and more people are banished including foreign mercenaries. 1988 Gayyoom is re-elected for his third term of office.  A few months later local businessmen, aided by Sri Lankan mercenaries, try to overthrow the government.  The National Security Service manages to apprehend the perpetrators.    1993 1998 2003   President Abdul Gayyoom is elected for the fourth term. President Abdul Gayyoom is elected for the fifth term. President Abdul Gayyoom is elected for the sixth term.

Chronology of events related to the history of Meedhoo