|
500 BC |
Possibly the first settles arrive on the islands. |
|
1152 AD |
Conversion to Islam; start of the sultanate. |
|
1558 |
The Maldivian nation enters a dark era under the Portuguese that
lasts for approximately 15 years. |
|
1573 |
Portuguese rule comes to an end after a successful Maldivian uprising. |
1752
|
The Ali Rajas attack the archipelago, kidnap the sultan and take over the
islands. Their victory is short-lived and after a few weeks
the Maldivians gain their independence again. |
|
1887 |
Maldives becomes a British protectorate. |
|
1932 |
The first constitution is drawn but discarded in 1939. |
|
1953
|
Maldives becomes a republic after abolishing the sultanate, but the
country reverts back to the sultanate shortly afterwards. |
|
1956 |
The British lease the island of Gan in the southern-most atoll of Seenu (Addu). |
|
1957 |
Ibrahim Nasir is elected prime minister. He changes the conditions
of the lease on Gan and demands that the British stop employing local
labour. |
|
1959 |
Objecting to Nasir’s changes, the inhabitants of the three southernmost
atolls protest against the government. They form the United Suvadive
Islands and elect a president, Abdulla Afif Didi. |
|
1962 |
Nasir dispatches gunboats to end the rebellion in the southern atolls.
Afif Didi other leaders are banished to different islands. |
|
1965 |
The British relinquish protectorate status. Maldives becomes
independent. |
|
1968 |
The second republic is formed with Ibrahim Nasir as president. |
|
1972 |
The country is opened to tourism. |
|
1974 |
On 24th June a crowd gathers to protest against the rising food prices.
Nasir orders the police to open fire. |
|
1978 |
Fearing for his life, Nasir retires to Singapore. Abdul Gayyoom is
elected the new president. He denounces Nasir’s regime and banishes
its corrupt members. |
|
1980 |
An attempted coup against coup Gayyoom fails and more people are banished
including foreign mercenaries. |
|
1988
|
Gayyoom is re-elected for his third term of office. A few months
later local businessmen, aided by Sri Lankan mercenaries, try to overthrow
the government. The National Security Service manages to apprehend
the perpetrators. |
|
1993 |
President Abdul Gayyoom is re-elected for the fourth term. |
|
1998 |
President Abdul Gayyoom is re-elected for the fifth term. |
