Which ocean surrounds the Maldives?

The Indian Ocean surrounds the Maldives. This island country lies southwest of Sri Lanka and India, across a broad stretch of the northern Indian Ocean. Its territory consists of roughly 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 natural atolls, although administrative divisions are counted differently.

The islands sit on coral atolls formed around submerged volcanic mountain chains. Most of the land is extremely low-lying, with no naturally occurring point reaching 3 meters above sea level. This geography gives the Maldives its lagoons and beaches but also makes it highly vulnerable to coastal flooding and sea-level rise.

The Maldives is not in the Pacific Ocean, even though it is often pictured in general discussions of tropical island nations. Malé, the capital, is on an island in the Kaafu Atoll and is among the world’s most densely populated capital cities.