More commonly known as Maldives or Maldive Islands, the Republic of Maldives is an island country made up of 26 atolls covering a territory with 1,192 islets scattered across the equator in the Indian Ocean. Only 198 islands are inhabited by its 300,000 population. With an average ground level of 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) above sea level, it is the lowest lying country in the world. It is also the country with the lowest highest point, at 2 m (7ft), situated in an unnamed spot in the Addu Atoll of Villingili Island.

Here are handpicked 30 awesome aerial shots of Maldives from different sources.

1 . Alidhoo… by muha…

2 . pearls of the sea.. by m o d e

3 . No I do not work for the National Geographic… by Ahmed Zahid

4 . floating whitesand & bluelagoon omelette… by muha…

5 . Vote for Maldives as a new world wonder!… by nattu

6 . Tsunami 2004 (Remembering the Victims)… by alsay

7 . The pond island… by sharaff

8 . Truly Maldives… by sammmmmu

9. Maldives, a place you want to be… by nattu

10. The Floating Island… by © Ahmed Amir

11. Sandbank 2008… by maapu

12. Report from Souls Island. Part 3/4… by Ahmed Zahid

13. Hulhumalé… by sharaff

14. Turquoise Paradise… by panALsonic

15. An inhabited Island- Maldives… by S U J A

16. .. by Sh@mpoo

17. Insel im Nordatoll.. by Axel_

18. Flying away.. by Nöé

19. Island.. by shinax

20. 7th.. by maapu

21. flying over blues.. by muha…

22. Loneliness.. by Dhonfuthu

23. a bit from a natural puzzle.. by Sh@mpoo

24. Rainbow.. by shazwan

25. .. by mayooomy

26. Loafaru – Heart Island.. by thaakko

27. Maldives from Space .. Maldives image by NASA/ GSFC/METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./ Japan ASTER Science Team

28. Photograph by James L. Stanfield, NGS Image Collection

29. An aerial photo of Male’, the capital of the Republic of Maldives… by Shahee Ilyas

30. One of 1190 Islands… by Mohamed Waheed