Maldives Republic Day

Governed as an Islamic sultanate until 1968, the Maldives has a murky historical past. Details aren’t clear about the sultans that ruled over the islands, likely in part due to both the fragmented nature of the community as well as the lack of historical storage facilities.

Being an island nation, the Maldives were visited and influenced by many cultures including pirates from the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. It was also a British protectorate between 1887 and 1965. Even the Portuguese had a brief influence on the country’s history in the 16th century.

On July 26, 1965 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, a ceremony took place at the British High Commissioner’s Residence where full political independence was given to the Maldives with a signed agreement between the sultan of the Maldives (then known as Maldive Islands) and the designated British ambassador. However, it wasn’t until November 11, 1968 that the monarchy was fully abolished and a republic installed under President Ibrahim Nasir. This conversion to a republic is now celebrated annually as Republic Day.