The fortunes of the Maldives – a country strategically situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean along key east-west trade routes – have always been closely intertwined with international commerce. The first documented contact between the Maldives and the outside world occurred in the mid-10th Century when Arab and Persian traders began visiting the islands, attracted by the abundance of pearls, spices, coconuts, dried fish and, in particular, cowry shells (which were accepted currency from Africa to China until the sixteenth Century).

In modern times, trade has lost none of its importance to the Maldives. The country continues to be an important port-of-call for ships transporting goods between Europe, the Middle East and the Far East, and commerce continues to drive the economy, with tourism (the tourism sector consistently contributes over 33% of national GDP) and trade in marine products (the fisheries sector is the largest export sector in the Maldives and the biggest single source of employment) leading the way.

As part of strengthening relations and commercial links between the Maldives and the United Kingdom, the Embassy of Maldives in the United Kingdom plays an important role in promoting trade between the two countries.

Businesses and investors in Europe who are considering investing in the Maldives are welcome to contact the Embassy to seek information on areas of trade cooperation or commercial contacts in the Maldives. If you have any enquiry about doing business in the Maldives, please contact us.