Maldives High Sea

The Maldives form a long chain of low coral atolls across the central Indian Ocean. Their islands were a major source of cowrie shells, which travelled to markets across Asia and the East African coast for use as currency. The archipelago maintained ties with Sri Lanka and Indian kingdoms, as well as with Aceh and other Southeast Asian kingdoms. Chinese fleets under Zheng He visited twice in the fifteenth century; Portuguese occupation lasted from 1558 to 1573.