The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives and historically known as the Maldives Islands, is an archipelago in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives lies southwest of Sri Lanka and India, and is about 750 kilometres (470 mi; 400 nautical miles) from the Asian mainland. The Maldives is a group of 26 atolls stretching across the equator from Ihavandippolu Atoll in the north to Addou Atoll in the south.

The Maldives is the smallest country in Asia, with a land area of ​​only 298 square kilometres (115 sq mi) but is spread across approximately 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 sq mi) of sea, making it the most dispersed sovereign state in the world. With a population of 515,132 at the 2022 census, it is the second least populous country in Asia and the ninth smallest by area, but also one of the most densely populated. The Maldives has an average elevation of 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) above sea level, and its highest natural point is only 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in), making it the lowest country in the world. Some sources state that the highest point is Mount Villingili, which is 5.1 metres (17 ft) high.