Map of Maldives | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: 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.


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Location: Southern Asia, in the Indian Ocean off the southwest coast of India

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 300 km²
Land: 300 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 644 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 35-310 nm as defined by geographic coordinates; segment of zone coincides with maritime boundary with India
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: 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

Elevation

Natural resources: fish

Land use
Arable land: 10%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 3%
Forest and woodland: 3%
Other: 84%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise

Geography
Note: 1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls; archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean


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Population: 252,077 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 3.61% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Maldivian(s)

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 profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.61% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 43.59 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 7.45 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 53.8 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.67 years
Male: 63.24 years
Female: 66.17 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.26 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
Total population: 92%
Male: 92%
Female: 92%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form:

Government type: republic

Capital: 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 areas

Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution: 4 June 1968

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 participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government:President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978; election last held 1 October 1993 (next to be held NA; results - President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM was reelected with 92.76% of the vote

Legislative branch: National Security Service (paramilitary police force)
Citizens' Council Majlis: elections last held on 7 December 1989 (next to be held 7 December 1994); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (48 total, 40 elected)

Judicial branch: High Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
From the us: Maldives has no embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York; Permanent Representative to the UN Ahmed ZAKI
From the us chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there
From the us 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 flag

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy 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 parity

Real gdp growth rate: 6% (1993 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $620 (1991 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture 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: 24% (1990; accounts for 6% of GDP

Labor force: 66,000 (est.)
By occupation: fishing industry 25%