Statistical information Maldives 1998

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: Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Geographic coordinates: 3 15 N, 73 00 E
Map reference:
AsiaAreaTotal: 300 km²
Land: 300 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 644 km
Maritime claimsExclusive 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 white sandy beaches
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili 24 m
Natural resources: fish
Land useArable land: 10%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 3%
Forests and woodland: 3%
Other: 84% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
GeographyNote: 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls; archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
top of pagePopulation: 290,211 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 3.42% (1998 est.)
NationalityNoun: Maldivian(s)
Adjective: Maldivian
Ethnic groups: Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African
Languages: Maldivian Divehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Religions: Sunni Muslim
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 47% (male 70,244; female 66,758)
15-64 years: 50% (male 73,784; female 70,539)
65 years and over: 3% (male 4,735; female 4,151) (July 1998 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 3.42% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 40.12 births/1000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 5.96 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.14 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 41.12 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 67.57 years
Male: 65.87 years
Female: 69.35 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.84 children born/woman (1998 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 expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 93.2%
Male: 93.3%
Female: 93% (1995 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Maldives
Conventional short form: Maldives
Local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
Local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
Government type: republic
Capital: Male (Maale)
Administrative divisions: 19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-order administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu
Dependent areasIndependence: 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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government: ead of
Government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Ministry of Atolls appointed by the president; note_need not be members of Majilis
Elections: president elected by secret ballot of the Majlis for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 1993 (next to be held NA October 1998)
Election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected; percent of Majlis vote_Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 92.76%
Legislative branch: unicameral Citizens' Council or Majlis (48 seats; 40 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 2 December 1994 (next to be held NA December 1999)
Election results: percent of vote_NA; seats_independents 40
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there
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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for about 18% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. About 350,000 tourists visited the islands in 1997. Fishing is a second leading growth sector. The Maldivian Government began 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 cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 15% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is three feet or less above sea level.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 6.2% (1997 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $1,800 (1997 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 22%
Industry: 15%
Services: 63% (1994 est.)
Agriculture products: coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fishing
Industries: fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1994 est.)
Labor forceTotal: 56,435 (1990 est.)
By occupation fishingindustry andagriculture: 25%
By occupation services: 21%
By occupation manufacturing and construction: 21%
By occupation trade restaurants and hotels: 16%
By occupation transportationandcommunication: 10%
By occupation other: 7%
Unemployment rate: NEGL%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $88 million (excluding foreign grants)
Expenditures: $141 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1995 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation 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: total value:$59 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodoties: fish, clothing
Partners: Sri Lanka, US, Germany, Singapore, UK
Imports: total value:$302 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodoties: consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
Partners: Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $179 million (1996 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1_11.770 (1995-January 1998), 11.586 (1994), 10.957 (1993)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 14,000 kW (1995)
Production: 50 million kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 191 kWh (1995)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 8,523 (1992 est.)
Telephone system: minimal domestic and international facilities
Domestic: inter-atoll communication primarily through HF transceivers and VHF/UHF telephones
International: satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $NA
Percent of gdp: NA%
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 2 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailways: 0 km
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marineTotal: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,703 GRT/108,485 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 17, container 1, oil tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1 (1997 est.)
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs