Maldives

 

Country Information:

The capital of the Maldives is Male. There are approximately 650,000 people living here. The majority of Maldivians practice Sunni Islam. The official language of Maldives is Dhivehi, but English is also widely spoken. The major export of Maldives is fish.

 

Jim’s Perspectives:

When visiting, one must take advantage of the natural beauty of the Maldives. Hulhamale is an island on the south of the North Male Atoll, and is home to numerous beaches. Also don’t miss out on the National Museum, home to artifacts from the pre-Islamic period.

Did you know that the Maldives is the first country in the world to hold an underwater cabinet meeting? In October of 2009, President Mohamed Nasheed and 13 government officials’ scuba dived into desks sunken at the bottom of the ocean to hold a meeting on the effect climate change has on rising Maldivian sea levels.

Oh my, is the Maldives beautiful!  I loved my bench adjacent to the seafood restaurant, and diving in the pristine waters below (2 dives). Loved my room. I want to stay at a more remote resort next time, far away from the airport and somewhere where the snorkeling is as awesome at the resort. Loved visiting here in ’15—definitely will return!

 

 

Nauru

Country Information:  Formerly called Pleasant Island, Nauru is a phosphate island country in Micronesia that gained independence in 1968. The capital is Yaren. About 10,000 people live here, though with immigration, there may be more. The official languages are...

Antigua and Barbuda

Country Information: Christopher Columbus came to Antigua in 1493 and the Spanish settlers grew sugarcane and tobacco there. It was colonized by the British in 1632 and remained a British possession until 1981. Jim's Perspectives: In 1993, my wife (who I was then...

Ukraine

In the Ukraine in front of a Soviet ICBM, 2015 Many types of ICBMs in the Ukraine Country Information: There are roughly 45 million Ukrainians, and the official language is Ukrainian, but Russian is a regional language, meaning more than 10% of the population speaks...