The Maldive Islands lie close to India and Sri Lanka but Maldivian society virtually unknown to the outside world. Maldivian history goes back to the 12th Century when the Islands, under the influence of Arabian traders, converted from Buddhism to become an Islamic sultanate. The Islands are distinct from other South Asian nations by having a homogeneous population with its own language and script and a very high level of literacy, as well as the absence of caste, and an open marriage structure, where having been married to a number of different partners is considered normal for both women and men.
A present the islands are known as a "Paradise destination" for tourists with luxury resorts and a yearly receipt of more than half a million tourists. However, tourist resorts are exclusively found on uninhabited islands and as a consequence holiday visitors, diplomats, researchers and journalists only experience the capital and tourist islands - a minimal and atypical part of Maldivian society.
Presently the Maldives are threatened by a rise in sea level due to expected global warming. More immediate threats are a break-down of society caused by a growing economic and demographic imbalance precipitated by uncontrolled tourism growth and the influx of lowly-paid foreign workers, leading to social inequality, unemployed youth, narcotics related criminality and growing Islamic fundamentalism.