Maldives for locals – how 200 meters decide your fate (7 photos)

The Maldives is imagined as paradise islands, expensive hotels and tropical resorts. But there are also local residents there, by the way, who are extremely short, the height of 12-year-old children for Europeans. And what is it like to live your whole life on a microscopic island?





The Maldives is a thousand islands, most of which are not even inhabited. They choose the most beautiful islands of large and “considerable” sizes. You will be surprised, but the island here is considered huge, 1 km long by 700 meters, the large one is 700 by 700 meters. Are there any small ones? Yes, they are tiny, so they also come in big ones - 500 by 500 meters.



The other side of the Maldives, which hides behind tall hotels

This is the paradox of distances; most Aborigines live all the time on one of their islands. From home to work 200 meters. Walking “only one and a half kilometers to the metro” by Moscow standards is for him like going through the triple norm to work. This is too far, further than his entire land from edge to edge.

No dogs

The islands are small, their ecosystem is extremely fragile. Therefore, pets here can cause real harm to the small island. Dogs are strictly prohibited here.





It’s cheaper for locals to eat fish, at least it’s not imported

Some Maldivians can live their whole lives without ever seeing a dog in person. Of course, there can be no question of larger animals: horses, cows. There aren't even chickens here! Can you imagine?

All products are brought from China, India, Sri Lanka, the only thing that the Maldivians get for themselves is fish.

School - for residents of the large islands only

The division of islands into huge and rather large ones unexpectedly led to the formation of castes among a small population. Imagine that there is only enough space for a school on a large island.



The lucky ones were born on a big island, they even have a park

Not every parent can bring a child from a small island. This is where the prejudice grows that if you come from a small island in the Maldives, then you are not educated. But the difference in length between large and small is 200 meters! An entire caste is born from behind a 200-meter piece of shore.



And this is how they live on the poorer and smaller islands

Therefore, when children grow up and get a job in the tourism business, they often at first cannot distinguish between hotel rooms. Because they don't know Arabic numerals!



House number 6, number 6.... WHERE IS IT?!

They say that the sea level will soon rise, that in ten years the Maldives will be flooded, because they are only 1 meter above sea level. Therefore, the state has previously concluded a pact with its main neighbors - India, China, Sri Lanka.



Just a moment and they'll drown

These countries will take in their residents and give them citizenship, almost 400 thousand people, if the islands begin to go under water. Kind and thoughtful cooperation.