Which ocean borders the island nation of the Maldives?

The Maldives is bordered by the Indian Ocean.

This island nation lies in the north-central Indian Ocean, southwest of India and Sri Lanka. Its territory consists of a long chain of coral atolls and islands stretching across the equatorial region, rather than a single landmass. The surrounding ocean is central to Maldivian geography, transport, fisheries, tourism, and climate.

The Maldives is sometimes loosely associated with the Arabian Sea because it lies near that region of the Indian Ocean, but the country itself is conventionally located in the Indian Ocean. The Arabian Sea is a northeastern subdivision of the Indian Ocean, not a separate ocean-level answer to this quiz question.

The islands sit on a submarine ridge and have exceptionally low elevations. Their reefs support diverse marine life, while their exposure to the open Indian Ocean also makes them vulnerable to storms, coastal flooding, sea-level rise, and coral bleaching.