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History
The country has a long and eventful history and has been an independent sovereign state except for a brief occupation by the Portuguese during the 16th century. Maldives became a British Protectorate in the mid-fifties and gained full independence in July 26, 1965. That same year it also became a member of the United Nations. The country has a Republican government with an elected president as the head of the state. It was converted to Islam in the 12th century AD. Maldives has been a100% Muslim State for more than 800 years. Although official Maldivian History only begins in the twelfth century, literary works and archeological remains provide clues to earlier pre-Islamic eras. Maldives was a port of call for many great sea faring civilizations that roamed the high seas, long before European Maritime History began.
