Smallest Population & Lowest Life Expectancy in South Asia: Maldives

Among South Asian nations, the Maldives has both:

• Population: ~530,000 (2023) – smallest.
• Life Expectancy: ~72 years (2021) – lowest in region (Afghanistan ~64 but sometimes classified Central Asia).

Factors: geographic dispersion (1,192 islands), limited healthcare access on outer atolls, rising sea levels, non-communicable diseases (diabetes, cardiovascular).