Maldives
| Republic of Maldives |
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(and Maldives's largest city) |
Source information is available at [ Sources ] |
The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is a country and archipelagic state in South Asia in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about 750 kilometers (470 miles; 400 nautical miles) from the Asian continent's mainland. The Maldives' chain of 26 atolls stretches across the equator from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll north to Addu Atoll in the south.
The Maldives is the smallest country in Asia. Including the sea, the territory spans roughly 90,000 square kilometers (35,000 sq mi), with a land area of 298 square kilometers (115 sq mi). The Maldives is one of the world's most geographically dispersed sovereign states and the smallest Muslim country by land area. With a population of 515,132 in the 2022 census, it is the 2nd least-populous country in Asia and the ninth-smallest country in the world by area. Malé is the capital and the most populated city, traditionally called the "King's Island," where the ancient royal dynasties ruled from its central location. The Maldivian Archipelago is located on the Chagos–Laccadive Ridge, a vast submarine mountain range in the Indian Ocean; this also forms a terrestrial ecoregion with the Chagos Archipelago and Lakshadweep. The Maldives has an average ground-level elevation of 1.5 meters (4 ft 11 in) above sea level and a highest natural point of only 2.4 meters (7 ft 10 in), making it the world's lowest-lying country. Some sources state the highest point, Mount Villingili, as 5.1 meters or 17 feet.
The Maldives has been inhabited for over 2,500 years. Documented contact with the outside world began around 947 AD when Arab travelers began visiting the islands. In the 12th century, partly due to the importance of the Arabs and Persians as traders in the Indian Ocean, Islam reached the Maldivian Archipelago. The Maldives was soon consolidated as a sultanate, developing strong commercial and cultural ties with Asia and Africa. From the mid-16th century, the region came under the increasing influence of European colonial powers, with the Maldives becoming a British protectorate in 1887. Independence from the United Kingdom came in 1965, and a presidential republic was established in 1968 with an elected People's Majlis. The ensuing decades have seen political instability, efforts at democratic reform, and environmental challenges posed by climate change and rising sea levels. The Maldives became a founding member of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
The Maldives is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement. The World Bank classifies the Maldives as having an upper-middle income economy. The Maldives is a Dialogue Partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Fishing has historically been the dominant economic activity and remains the largest sector, followed by the rapidly growing tourism industry. The Maldives rate is "high" on the Human Development Index, with per capita income significantly higher than other SAARC nations. The Maldives was a member of the Commonwealth of Nations from July 1982 until withdrawing from the organization in October 2016 in protest of allegations by other nations of its human rights abuses and failing democracy. The Maldives rejoined the Commonwealth on 1 February 2020 after showing evidence of functioning democratic processes and popular support.
Spanking and Spanking Art in Maldives
In the 20th century, school corporal punishment fell out of fashion and was gradually banned in many countries, a trend that continues until the present day.
As of May 2008, Maldives prohibits corporal punishment in schools.
( We have no further information from SAOTK as of Oct, 2024 )
JCP in Maldives from Corpun.com
In this small state comprising a group of atolls off India, courts are empowered to impose floggings for certain offenses under Islamic (Sharia) law. In this July 2007 case, a man was sentenced to 19 lashes, in addition to banishment to one of the outer islands, for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl.
Following the death of the man whose job it was to administer the punishment, there was over a year's pause, according to a June 2008 news item. A new operator began work on 15 May 2008 by publicly flogging two women and three men who had been sentenced during the hiatus. The report claims that the penalty is intended to be symbolic, causing humiliation rather than pain.
According to a July 2009 news item, the implement used is a stiff leather paddle called a "duraa" that was administered to a female offender. It is applied to the clothed posterior.
A July 2009 report stated that 150 women and 50 men were to be flogged for adultery. Most of these sentences were handed down in 2006 but were still not carried out.
There have been several reports of cases in which girls aged 13 to 18 have been ordered to be flogged for having pre-marital sex, even where they were unwilling victims (i.e. rape). In such cases, the punishment may be postponed until the girl turns 18. An example was this case in Sep 2012. Another very similar instance was reported in Feb 2013, after which the country's President expressed shock and said the government would seek to overturn the sentence. This duly occurred in Aug 2013.
Another video clip showed what is said to be the public flogging in 2013 of a young woman in the capital, Malé. It is taking place at the entrance to the court buildings, apparently visible to anyone who happens to be walking past. In practice, it looks much more like a "spanking" than a "flogging".
Prostitution in Maldives
- Prostitution in Maldives ↗ on Wikipedia
External links
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Maldives ]
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