Map of Maldives | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total area total: 300 km²
Land: 300 km²
Comparative: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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

Geography
Note: 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls; archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean


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Population: 261,310 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 3.58% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: 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 profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 47% (female 60,038; male 63,042)
15-64 years: 50% (female 63,526; male 67,020)
65 years and over: 3% (female 3,537; male 4,147) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.58% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 42.8 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies
Current issues natural hazards: low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
Current issues international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 50 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 65.49 years
Male: 63.99 years
Female: 67.07 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.17 children born/woman (1995 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: 91%
Male: 91%
Female: 92%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
Conventional short form: Maldives

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 1998); results - President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM was reelected with 92.76% of the vote
Cabinet: Ministry of Atolls; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
Citizens' Council Majlis: elections last held 2 December 1994 (next to be held NA December 1999); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (48 total, 40 elected, 8 appointed by the president) independents 40

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, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In 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: 322,581

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: Fishing is the largest industry, employing 25% of the work force and accounting for over 60% of exports. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. During the 1980s tourism became one of the most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. In 1993, tourism accounted for 17% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. The Maldivian government initiated an economic reform program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a minor role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivatable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. In 1993, industry which consisted mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts accounted for about 6% of GDP.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5.4% (1993 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1,500 (1993 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: fishing, coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes

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%

Unemployment rate: NEGL%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $95 million (excluding foreign transfers)
Expenditures: $143 million, including capital expenditures of $71 million (1993 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $38.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodoties: fish, clothing
Partners: US, UK, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Germany

Imports: $177.8 million (c.i.f., 1993)
Commodoties: consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
Partners: Singapore, Germany, Sri Lanka, India, Japan

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $130 million (1993 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 11.770 (January 1995), 11.586 (1994), 10.957 (1993), 10.569 (1992), 10.253 (1991), 9.509 (1990)


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Electricity
Capacity: 5,000 kW
Production: 30 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 123 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 2,804 telephones; minimal domestic and international facilities
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 50,384 GRT/77,771 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 14, container 1, oil tanker 1

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs