<P> Jan S Hogendorn, Grossman Professor of Economics, theorises that the name Maldives derives from the Sanskrit mālādvīpa (मालाद्वीप), meaning "garland of islands". In Tamil, "Garland of Islands" can be translated as Malai Theevu (மாலைத்தீவு). In Malayalam, "Garland of Islands" can be translated as Maladweepu (മാലദ്വീപ്). In Kannada, "Garland of Islands" can be translated as Maaledweepa (ಮಾಲೆದ್ವೀಪ). None of these names is mentioned in any literature, but classical Sanskrit texts dating back to the Vedic period mention the "Hundred Thousand Islands" (Lakshadweepa), a generic name which would include not only the Maldives, but also the Laccadives, Aminidivi Islands, Minicoy, and the Chagos island groups . </P> <P> Some medieval travellers such as Ibn Battuta called the islands Mahal Dibiyat (محل دبيأت) from the Arabic word mahal ("palace"), which must be how the Berber traveller interpreted the local name, having been through Muslim North India, where Perso - Arabic words were introduced to the local vocabulary . This is the name currently inscribed on the scroll in the Maldive state emblem . The classical Persian / Arabic name for Maldives is Dibajat . The Dutch referred to the islands as the Maldivische Eilanden (pronounced (mɑlˈdivisə ˈɛi̯lɑndə (n))), while the British anglicised the local name for the islands first to the "Maldive Islands" and later to "Maldives ." </P> <P> Garcia da Orta writes in his conversational book first published in 1563 as follows: "I must tell you that I have heard it said that the natives do not call it Maldiva but Nalediva . In the Malabar language nale means four and diva island . So that in that language the word signifies "four islands," while we, corrupting the name, call it Maldiva ." </P> <P> The first Maldivians did not leave any archaeological artifacts . Their buildings were probably built of wood, palm fronds and other perishable materials, which would have quickly decayed in the salt and wind of the tropical climate . Moreover, chiefs or headmen did not reside in elaborate stone palaces, nor did their religion require the construction of large temples or compounds . </P>

Where in the world is maldives on a map