The Maldives economy is based on fishing. One of the chief sources of the government income is fish sales.
Tourism is also important for the government.
About one-fifth of the income comes from tourism. The people on the island of Maldives raise chili peppers, sweet potatoes, coconuts and millet. The coconut is used to make husk fiber, which is used to make yarn string. The major export on the island of Maldives is fish, but there are many other exports too. The others are cowrie shells, coir yarn, fish meal, and copra.