MALE, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen on Thursday lifted the state of emergency after a period of 45 days, stating the situation in the island country had returned to normal, the President's Office said in a statement.

"Upon the advice of the Security Services and in an effort to promote normalcy, the president has decided to lift the state of emergency," President Yameen's office said.

The president's international spokesperson Ibrahim Shihab told Xinhua that the president had issued the order to lift the state of emergency on Thursday morning and all departments had been notified.