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Concept
Maldivians
Summary
Maldivians (diˈʋehiŋ; ދިވެހިން) are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group and nation native to the historic region of the Maldive Islands comprising what is now the Republic of Maldives and the island of Minicoy in Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. All Maldivians share the same culture and speak the Maldivian language, which is a member of the southern group of Indo-Aryan languages. For ethnographic and linguistic purposes as well as geopolitical reasons, anthropologists divide the Maldivian people into three subgroups.
The main group of Maldivians, numbering more than 250,000. This group inhabits the numerous atolls stretching from Ihavandhippolhu (Haa Alif) to Haddhunmathi (Laamu) in Maldives. They constitute over 70% of the total population of all Maldivians. On a larger scale, the third group also comes under this group. From this group comes the standard dialect of the Maldivian language which is spoken in the Maldive's capital, Male', along with the central atolls. Slightly differing variants which are very closely related to the former are spoken in the rest of the islands, from the far north of Maldives down to Laamu Atoll.
The southern group of Maldivians, living in the three southernmost atolls of the equatorial zone (Huvadhu, Fuvahmulah and Addu atolls) in Maldives. This group numbers approximately 60,000 and constitutes about 20% of the total population of all Maldivians. The earliest known settlements have been found in this region. According to researchers, this group of Maldivians has the closest proximity to the original Maldivian people in terms of linguistics as well as ethnicity. Each of the 3 atolls of this region speak their own distinctive forms of the Maldivian language (Huvadhu dialect, Mulaku dialect, Addu dialect), which are significantly different from the rest and as researchers suggest having a closer affinity to what may have been the original.
The people of Minicoy (Malikun) – Mahls, numbering about 10,000. The island of Minicoy lies at the northern end of the atoll chain inhabited by Maldivians and is the northernmost group of the Maldivian people.
Official source
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