Male, Maldives

Malé is the capital and most populous city in the Republic of Maldives.
The city is geographically located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll (Kaafu Atoll). Administratively, it is a city-class constituency and is governed by the Malé City Council. Traditionally it was the King’s Island, from where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties ruled and where the palace was located.
The island is 1.7 km long and 1.0 km wide, but with over 100,000 people crammed onto it, Male is by some measures the world’s densest city. The new island of Hulhumalé,in the Hululhe lagoon has been reclaimed to provide some much-needed extra space.
Photo by Joerg Kampshoff