Malé

Malé (Dhivehi: ????), (pronounced: "Maa-lay") population 81,647 (2004), is the capital of the Republic of Maldives. The city is located on Malé Island in the Kaafu Atoll. Although Malé is geographically located in Kaafu Atoll, administratively it is not considered part of it. A commercial harbor is located in the Island. It is the heart of all commercial activities in the country. Many government buildings and agencies are located on the waterfront. Malé International Airport is on adjacent Hulhule Island which includes a seaplane base for internal transportation. Several land reclamation projects have expanded the harbour. Malé is located at 4°10\\\\\\\' North, 73°30\\\\\\\' East (4.1667, 73.5). ^[1]

The town of Malé was founded by Portuguese traders in the 16th century. ^[2]

the Island is heavily urbanised, The city taking up essentially its entire landmass. It is the world\\\\\\\'s most densely populated city (see list of selected cities by population density). Slightly less than one third of the nation\\\\\\\'s population lives in the capital city. Many, if not most, Maldivians and foreign workers in Maldives find themselves in occasional short term residence on the Island due to it being the only entry point to the nation and the center of all administration and bureaucracy.

The town is divided into four divisions; Henveiru, Galolhu, Maafannu and Machangolhi. Male\\\\\\\'viligili (a near by Island) is the fifth division considered by the government.

Malé was struck by the tsunami that swept across the western coast of Sumatra on December 26, 2004. It was affected by the Indian Ocean earthquake which followed with the waves flooding two-thirds of The city. The earthquake and subsequent tsunamis reportedly killed over 220,000 people around the rim of the Indian Ocean.