Maldives High Sea

The Maldives rise from the Indian Ocean as a long chain of low coral atolls. The islands were an important source of cowrie shells, which reached markets across Asia and parts of East Africa for use as money. Their rulers and merchants maintained connections with Sri Lanka, Indian kingdoms and the lands of Southeast Asia. Zheng He's Chinese fleets visited in 1411 and 1430; the Portuguese occupied the islands from 1558 until they were expelled in 1573.