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turtles and dolphins may also be spotted.
While the larger, wetter islands have small areas of rainforest,
for the most part plant life is limited. The most common
plants include pandanus, banana, mangroves, breadfruit trees,
banyans, tropical vines and coconut palms; and the main crops
are sweet potatoes, yams, taro, millet and watermelon, citrus
fruits and pineapples.
Tropical flowers are found in abundance and grow either in the
wild or are cultivated in gardens. There are 100 species of birds,
most of them migratory. Other fauna includes giant fruit bats and
tree shrews, lizards, skinks, rhinoceros beetles, paper wasps and
colourful butterflies.
The sights
The capital city of Malé is only about two kilometres long and
one kilometre wide but is neatly packed with buildings, roads
and public spaces. The mosques, markets and small streets give it
a charm of its own.
The National Museum houses exhibits of the sultans'
belongings and some archaeological discoveries, while
the nearby Sultan Park is a pleasant place for a stroll. The
imposing white three-storey Islamic Centre & Grand Friday
Mosque holds more than 5000 worshippers and dominates
the city's skyline. The oldest of the 20-plus mosques in Malé
is the Hukuru Miskiiy, famed for its intricate stone carvings.
Friday Mosque on Isdhoo is more than three centuries old and
features lacquered supports, f lowing calligraphy and finely
carved rafters. Gadhdhoo is home to one of the Maldives'
— M a l d i v e s —
