The Royal Palace (Gan'duvaru) was destroyed along with the picturesque forts (koshi) and bastions (buruzu) when the city was remodelled under President Ibrahim Nasir's rule in the aftermath of the abolition of the monarchy in 1968.

Six more islands form part of the city which includes Hulhulé, Hulhumalé, Villimalé, Gulhifalhu, Thilafushi and Giraavarufalhu.

[6] The central island is heavily urbanised, with the built-up area taking up essentially its entire landmass.

Many Maldivians and foreign workers living in other parts of the country find themselves in occasional short term residence on the island since it is the centre of administration and bureaucracy.

Most of the population of Malé live in small houses or apartment complexes, often shared with external family or roommates.

Among them, a substantial portion consists of construction workers, doctors, nurses, health professionals, and teachers, who play vital roles in the Maldivian infrastructure, healthcare and education sectors.

Additionally, Indian and Bangladeshi nationals contribute significantly as skilled workers, alongside a sizable presence of unskilled laborers, as well as other professionals and members of the business community.

[8] The first settlers in the Maldivian islands were Dravidian people[9] who arrived from the neighboring shores of the modern Indian subcontinent and coastal Ceylon.

Early records also indicate that the island was called "Athamana Huraa" prior to being named Malé.

According to regional lore, Giraavaru fishermen used to go regularly to a certain large sandbank (finolhu) at the southern end of their atoll to clean tuna fish after a good catch.

[citation needed] However, one day, a prince from the subcontinent called Koimala arrived in the Malé Atoll sailing from the North on a big ship.

They allowed Prince Koimala to settle on that large sandbank in the midst of the waters tainted with fish blood.

[citation needed] The names of the main four wards or divisions of Malé Island are said to have been given by the original Giraavaru fishermen: Maafannu from maa (big) and fannu (a place where a village path meets the sea), Henveiru from en-beyru (out where fishermen got their bait), Galolhu from galu-olhu (stone groove) and, Macchangolhi from mathi-angolhi (windward path-fork).

[citation needed] In early foreign sources, Malé was called Ambria or Mahl.

He mentioned that the Queen, Rehendhi Khadeeja, had a residence in Malé, which from its description may be assimilated to the same palace of the later sultan rulers, in the centre of the island.

[12] Malé was fortified in the 17th century by the sultan Muhammad Imaduddin, who built walls on the north, east and west side of the island.

The old forts and decrepit walls were dismantled in 1925–1927 under the reign of Muhammad Shamsuddeen III, to be rebuilt on a smaller scale.

The Royal Palace (Gan'duvaru) was destroyed along with the picturesque forts (koshi) and bastions (buruzu) when the city was remodelled under President Ibrahim Nasir's rule in the aftermath of the abolition of the monarchy in 1968.

Only the National Museum building, residence of the last sultan, as well as the Malé Friday Mosque, remain.

The temperature is constantly high year-round due in part to the Maldives having the lowest median elevation anywhere in the world.

[citation needed] The city is divided into six divisions, four of which are on Malé Island: Henveiru, Galolhu, Maafannu and MacchanGoalhi.

[26] The central harbour and port of the Maldives is located in Malé, the centre for all commercial activities.

The port is part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean, there to the Upper Adriatic region with its rail connections to Central and Eastern Europe.

Prior to the opening of the bridge, transport between the airport and Malé was by a frequent ferry service.