Maldives Leading in Second Life?!

At first i couldn't help but question the credibility of this news taken from Minivan News.
But further online search has proved this to be right.

Times Online says Tiny island nation opens the first real embassy in virtual world

The Maldives has become the first country to open an embassy in Second Life, an
internet-based three-dimensional virtual world inhabited by more than 6.6 ...

The Local Sweden News in English says Sweden trumped by Maldives in Second Life

The Maldives has pipped Sweden to the post by unveiling the world's first
virtual embassy in Second Life just days before the Scandinavian country's
planned launch.
Published: 22nd May 2007 15:59 CETOnline: http://www.thelocal.se/7379/

Maldives Opens World’s First Virtual Embassy
By Will Jordan in Male' May 22, 2007 Source: Minivan News

The Maldives has become the first country in the world to open a Virtual Embassy in Second Life, the online virtual world.

Second Life (SL) is a fast-growing virtual community with more than six million “citizens.” It has its own currency, the Linden Dollar, which can be exchanged for US dollars. SL citizens own property, socialize, learn and interact in SL.

The Maldives Virtual Embassy is located in the Diplomatic Quarter of Diplomacy Island in Second Life, an on-line space designed to allow new avenues for diplomatic representation and negotiation, especially for small and developing countries that have limited diplomatic outreach in the “real” world.

The embassy building features a notice board with detail on “democratic and human rights reform” in the country. “The Maldives is a small country but that does not mean we do not have a valuable contribution to make in international affairs,” said Abdulla Shahid, Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs.

“The Virtual Embassy offers another channel for us to provide information on the country, to offer our viewpoint on issues of international concern, and to interact with our partners in the international community,” he said.

Diplomacy Island is the brainchild of Diplo Foundation, a nonprofit organisation which works to assist developing countries participate meaningfully in international affairs.

The official inauguration ceremony took place simultaneously in the real world (Geneva) and in the virtual world (Second Life), with participants in both “place” and “space” able to watch the speeches, interact with each other, and explore the Maldives Embassy and the rest of Diplomacy Island.

The Maldives Virtual Embassy will soon be followed by embassies representing Macedonia and the Philippines. Sweden has also announced plans to open a Virtual Embassy.