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Malé Island)
Malé (މާލެ), population 81,647 (2004), is the capital of the Republic of Maldives. The city is located on Malé Island in the Malé Atoll . A seaplane base and a ship anchorage are located on the island. Malé is the center of trade in coconuts, coir, palm mats, copra, and cowry shells. Malé International Airport is on adjacent Hulhule Island. Several land reclamation projects have expanded the harbor.
The island is heavily urbanized, the city taking up essentially its entire landmass.
Malé was affected by the resulting tsunami, which flooded two-thirds of the city.
