"The Republic of Maldives is well known not just for its beautiful coral atolls, but also for the rapid progress it has made in recent times, securing a position among middle-income nations in the developing world. Such development is reflected in its favourable human development indices. Despite the strides made by this island nation, it faces several challenges, including geo-physical vulnerabilities, problems of unbalanced population and resource distribution and such sociocultural issues as high divorce rates, rising juvenile delinquency and lifestyle related problems, including smoking and drug abuse."