About 130,000 people live in Malé, which might not sound enormous, but because the island is so tiny, more people are squeezed into each square kilometre there than almost anywhere else on Earth. Buildings rise up several storeys, narrow streets buzz with motorbikes, and every inch of land is used cleverly.
The harbour is the beating heart of the city. Every morning, fishing boats bring in fresh yellowfin tuna, and traders unload coconuts, breadfruit, and vegetables from other islands. The fish market smells wonderfully salty, and the colours of the catch - silver, pink, and blue - shimmer in the sunlight.
Despite being so busy, Malé has parks and open squares where children play football in the evenings. The waterfront promenade, called the Republic Square area, looks out over the lagoon, and on a clear day you can see smaller islands dotted on the horizon. At night, the lights of the city sparkle on the water.
Malé is connected to its airport and a bigger neighbour island, Hulhumalé, by a long bridge called the Sinamale Bridge - the country's first ever bridge, opened in 2018. Before that, the only way across was by boat.