Malé (Dhivehi: މާލެ), (pronounced: "Maa-lay") population 81,647 (2004), is the capital of the Republic of Maldives located at the southern edge of North Male' Atoll Kaafu Atoll.

The island is heavily urbanized, with the city taking up essentially its entire landmass. Slightly less than one third of the nation's population lives in the capital city. Many, if not most, Maldivians and foreign workers in Maldives find themselves in occasional short term residence on the island since it is the only entry point to the nation and the centre of all administration and bureaucracy.