Malé – The King's Island that gave the Maldives its name
Malé was traditionally the King's Island, known as Mahal, from which the ancient royal dynasties ruled and where the palace stood. The entire country is named after it: "Maldives" means "the islands of Malé". According to local lore, the name comes from the time when fishermen from Giraavaru cleaned their tuna on a sandbank here, turning the waters red – "maa ley", a great pool of blood. Early settlers are believed to have come from southern India and Sri Lanka.
Today Malé is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives, home to over 211,000 people on just 1.9 km², making it one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Share your Malé stories and photos with us!