Historically linked with the Indian subcontinent, the Maldives is a Muslim-majority country. From the mid-sixteenth century, it was dominated by colonial powers: Portugal, the Netherlands and Britain. The islands gained independence from the British Empire in 1965, becoming a republic in 1968 and is ruled by a president and authoritarian government. The Maldivian economy is dominated by tourism and fishing. The country is classified as a low-middle income economy.