Malé is the largest city of of the Maldives, and one of the world's smallest capitals. It is located on North Malé Atoll. Traditionally Malé was the King's island where the ancient Maldives royal dynasties ruled over the archipelago. The name Malé comes from the ancient Sanskrit word for "palace", and the name of the Maldives means "the islands of Malé."
Most of Malé's royal buildings were destroyed after the monarchy was abolished, and when the city was remodelled under the former president, Ibrahim Nasir. Today commercial and government buildings line the waterfront. The modern city has grown to cover the entire landmass of the original island, and more land has been reclaimed from the sea. Malé is home to more than 100-thousand people and is one of the most densely populated islands in the world. The city district covers three nearby islands, including the airport island of Hulhule about a kilometre from the city centre.
Malé has many parks and plazas throughout the city, and many of the avenues and residential neighbourhoods are shaded with trees. There is just one artificial beach on the island, an attractive stretch of white sand lined with parks and palm trees, which has become one of the most popular spots in the city for local people and visitors to relax. The beach area is frequently used for sporting events, live concerts and parades.
One of the most important cultural sites in the city is the Huskuru Mosque. It was built in 1656 from blocks of finely worked pink and white coral, and features intricately carved beams that bear traces of South-east Asian architectural traditions. The mosque was the focus of religious life in the Malé for centuries, until the development of the Grand Friday mosque and the city's Islamic Centre in the 1980s. The building in front of the Huskuru Mosque is the Mulee-Aage, a palace built in 1906 by one of the sultans of the Maldives, and which today houses the offices of the President.
Malé's National Museum is housed in the last remaining building of the former Sultan's Palace, in what is now known as Sultan's Park. The museum holds many of the historical treasures of the islands, including royal thrones and palanquins, ceremonial robes and uniforms, statues from the ancient Buddhist temples of the islands, and and the first printing press used in the Maldives.
Malé has many shopping areas and markets (magu) catering to tourists and to locals. The best souvenir shopping is around the northern end of Chaadhanee Magu, an area known as the Singapore Bazaar after its many imports from the east. Clothes, cosmetics, jewellery, watches and electronics are popular items here. Majeedhee Magu on the main road of the island is a more general market, selling food and groceries as well has hand-crafted items.
Souvenirs shoppers should take care to ask the vendor what each item is made from. Products made from several restricted materials, including turtle shell, pearl oyster shell, and black and red coral are prohibited in the Maldives, but they can still turn up on sale in the markets. In some cases white coral may be dyed to look black or red - and while these items may be technically legal, they can still cause problems if they are found in tourist luggage by airport officials: the trade in many coral and shell species is prohibited by international agreements.