Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, is an island nation consisting of a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south of Lakshadweep group of islands of India, about 700 kilometers (435 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka. The 26 atolls encompass a territory featuring 1,192 islets, roughly 200 of which are inhabited by people. The country's name may stand for "Mountain Islands" (from mala in Malayalam / malai in Tamil, meaning "mountain" and dtivu in Tamil meaning "island"). It might mean "a thousand islands." Some scholars believe that the name "Maldives" derives from the Sanskrit maladvipa, meaning "garland of islands". Others believe the name means "Palace" (from al-Mahal in Arabic). Following the introduction of Islam in 1153, the islands later became a Portuguese (1558), Dutch (1654), and British (1887) colonial possession. In 1965, Maldives declared its independence from Britain, and in 1968 the Sultanate was replaced by a theoretical Republic. However, in 38 years, the Maldives have had only two Presidents, though political restrictions have loosened somewhat recently.

History

---

More on [ Maldives ]

ING Latest Press Releases

18/08/08 - ING DIRECT closes Interhyp takeover bid with approx. 90% of shares tendered
Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

13/08/08 - Second Quarter 2008 Results
Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0200

30/07/08 - ING DIRECT announces approx. 90% of Interhyp shares tendered; public takeover bid extended
Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

22/07/08 - ING Closes Sale of Mexican Non-Core Insurance Business to AXA
Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

14/07/08 - ING DIRECT receives regulatory approval for public takeover bid for Germany's largest mortgage distributor Interhyp
Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200

09/07/08 - ING receives approval to start life insurance in Ukraine
Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0200


Citibank Belgium

Phishing:
don't get caught!
Investnews August 2008:
The markets are facing an unfavourable economic climate combined with rising oil prices, inflation pressure and a weak financial and real estate sector.
Citi Cash Transfer:
Transfer money free of charge from your Citi credit card.

Subscribe to Banks_and_Institutions RSS feed