Statistical information Maldives 1993
Maldives in the World
top of pageBackground: The Maldives were long a sultanate first under Dutch and then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968 three years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.
top of pageLocation: South Asia, in the Indian Ocean off the southwest coast of India
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Asia, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 300 km²
Land: 300 km²
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 644 km
Exclusive economic zone: 35-310 nm as defined by geographic coordinates; segment of zone coincides with maritime boundary with India
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March; rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Terrain: flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters
ElevationNatural resources: fish
Land useArable land: 10%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 3%
Forest and woodland: 3%
Other: 84%
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 243,094 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 3.64% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Maldivian(s)
Adjective: Maldivian
Ethnic groups: Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African
Languages:
Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic),
English spoken by most government officials
Religions: Sunni Muslim
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 3.64% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 44.34 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 7.91 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: 1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls in Indian Ocean
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 57.6 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 63.86 years
Male: 62.5 years
Female: 65.28 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.36 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
Total population: 92%
Male: 92%
Female: 92%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Maldives
Conventional short form: Maldives
Government typeCapital: Male
Administrative divisions:
19 districts (atolls); Aliff, Baa, Daalu, Faafu,
Gaafu Aliff, Gaafu Daalu, Haa Aliff, Haa Daalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Laviyani, Meemu,
Naviyani, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Waavu
Dependent areasIndependence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Constitution: 4 June 1964
Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Citizens' Council (Majlis)
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Maldives does not maintain an embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York
From the us chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there consular agency: Midhath Hilmy, Male
From the us telephone: 2,581
Flag description: red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and shipping. Agriculture is limited to the production of a few subsistence crops that provide only 10% of food requirements. Fishing is the largest industry, employing 25% of the work force and accounting for over 60% of exports; it is also an important source of government revenue. During the 1980s tourism became one of the most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. In 1988 industry accounted for about 5% of GDP. Real GDP is officially estimated to have increased by about 10% annually during the period 1974-90.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 4.7% (1991 est.)
Real gdp per capita pppGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for almost 25% of GDP (including fishing; fishing more important than farming; limited production of coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; most staple foods must be imported; fish catch of 67,000 tons (1990 est.)
Industries: fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, some coconut processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope), handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 24.0% (1990; accounts for 6% of GDP
Labor force: 66,000 (est.)
By occupation: fishing industry 25%
Unemployment rate: NEGL%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $52 million (excluding foreign transfers; expenditures$83 million, including capital expenditures of $39 million (1991 est.)
Public debtTaxes and other revenuesRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Current account balanceInflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $53.7 million (f.o.b., 1991)
Commodoties: fish, clothing
Partners: US, UK, Sri Lanka
Imports: $150.9 million (c.i.f., 1991)
Commodoties: consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
Partners: Singapore, Germany, Sri Lanka, India
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 10.506 (January 1993), 10.569
top of pageElectricity accessElectricity production: 5,000 kW capacity; 11 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1990)
Electricity consumptionElectricity exportsElectricity importsElectricity installed generating capacityElectricity transmission distribution lossesElectricity generation sourcesPetroleumRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones fixed linesTelephones mobile cellularTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternet country codeInternet usersBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 2
Usable: 2
With permanentsurface runways: 2
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 2
With runways 1220-2439 m: 0
Airports with paved runwaysAirports with unpaved runwaysHeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine:
14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 38,848 GRT/58,496
DWT; includes 12 cargo, 1 container, 1 oil tanker
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs