Islam is the official religion and that of the entire population. Strict adherence to Islamic precepts and close community relationships have kept crime under control. The official language is Dhivehi, an Indo-European language related to Sinhala, the language of Sri Lanka. The writing system, like Arabic, is from right to left, although the alphabets are different. Vocabulary is overwhelmingly Maldivian.
Some social stratification exists on the islands.
It is not rigid, since rank is based on varied factors, including occupation, wealth, Islamic virtue, and family ties. Members of the social elite are concentrated in Male. The early history of the Maldives is obscure. According to Maldivian legend, a Sinhalese prince named Koimale was stranded with his bride, daughter of the king of Sri Lanka, in a Maldivian lagoon and stayed on to rule as the first sultan. Over the centuries, the islands were visited and influenced by sailors from countries on the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean littorals.