If someone remarked that the Maldives became free last week, one might certainly be pardoned for asking, "Oh, really? How much had they cost before?" Nevertheless last week the Maldives, a collection of 2,000 coral islands in the Indian Ocean (see map), became free.
Even the British, who had drawn up the independence papers long ago, were unprepared for the event. There was no Union Jack that could be dramatically rung down. None of the Queen's relatives were there. The ceremony was not even held in the Maldives. It took place, quite unexpectedly, when Sultan Ibrahim Nasir...
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