MALDIVIAN: a language of Maldives

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: SNM

ISO 639-2: div

Population	213,215 in Maldives (1991 Statistical Yearbook of Maldives). Population total both countries 220,000.
Region	Throughout the country. Also spoken in India.
Alternate names	MALIKH, MAHL, MALKI, DIVEHI, DIVEHLI, DIVEHI BAS
Classification	Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Sinhalese-Maldivian.
Comments	No transitional dialects to Sinhalese, which is a separate language. Bilingualism in Arabic. National language. Tana, based on Arabic script. Tropical forest. Coral island. Fishermen, tourist industry. Sea level. Sunni Muslim, traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

India

Language name	MALDIVIAN
Population	4,500 in India (1997 CIIL).
Alternate names	MALIKH, MAHL, MALKI, DEVEHI, DIVEHLI, DIVEHI BAS
Comments	No transitional dialects to Sinhalese, which is a separate language. Bilingualism in Arabic. Literacy rate in first language: 60% to 100%. Literacy rate in second language: 75% to 100%. Tana. Fishermen. Sunni Muslim, traditional religion. See main entry under Maldives.