Languages spoken in the Maldives
Asia · Capital: Malé · Population 515,132
The official language of the Maldives is Divehi. An estimated 98% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 504,829 people. The only other recorded language is English, at 75% of the population. In total, two languages are recorded in the Maldives, and their shares add up to 173% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.7 of them.
What languages are spoken in the Maldives?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divehi | 98% | Official | 504,829 |
| EnglishIndo-European | 75% | Spoken | 386,349 |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of the Maldives?
The official language of the Maldives is Divehi. Divehi is spoken by an estimated 98% of the population, or roughly 504,829 people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Divehi in the Maldives?
An estimated 98% of the Maldives's 515,132 people speak Divehi, which works out at roughly 504,829 speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about the Maldives
- Capital
- Malé
- Population
- 515,132
- Continent
- Asia
- Area
- 300 km²
- Currency
- MVR
- Languages recorded
- 2
- Land borders
- None
- ISO codes
- MV / MDV / 462
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.