People group profile · PG006164
The Maldivians of the Maldives
The Maldivians of the Maldives, numbering about 568,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group indigenous to the Maldive Islands.
They are an indigenous people in the Maldivian people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Dhivehi.

Fast facts
- Country
- Maldives
- Population
- 568,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Maldivian
- Primary language
- Dhivehi (div)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Widespread
Where they live
Gospel status
The Maldivians are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Maldivians
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Sunni Islam · Islam
99% adherents
Primary language
Dhivehi · Indo-European family
98% speak Dhivehi
Gospel resources in Dhivehi
- Bible available, published 2017
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Dhivehi)
Bibles
- Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Maldivians
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
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