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

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Background: The Maldives was long a sultanate first under Dutch and then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968 three years after independence. Since 1978 President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM - currently in his sixth term in office - has dominated the islands' political scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004 the president and his government have pledged to embark upon democratic reforms including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. 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: 3 15 N 73 00 E

Map reference: Asia

Area
Total: 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 claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; hot humid; dry northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy southwest monsoon (June to August)

Terrain: flat with white sandy beaches

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use
Arable land: 13.33%
Permanent crops: 30%
Other: 56.67% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

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: 1190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean


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Population: 359,008 (July 2006 est.)
Growth rate: 2.78% (2006 est.)
Below poverty line: 21% NA%

Nationality
Noun: Maldivian
Adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups: South Indians Sinhalese Arabs

Languages: Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala script derived from Arabic) English spoken by most government officials

Religions: Sunni Muslim

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 80,113/female 75,763)
15-64 years: 53.5% (male 98,040/female 94,029)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,477/female 5,586) (2006 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 17.9 years
Male: 17.8 years
Female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.78% (2006 est.)

Birth rate: 34.81 births/1000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate: 7.06 deaths/1000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2006 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male/female
Total population: 1.05 male/female (2006 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 54.89 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 54.01 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 55.8 deaths/1000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.41 years
Male: 63.08 years
Female: 65.8 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: less than 100 (2001 est.)
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.2%
Male: 97.1%
Female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

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
Local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
Local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Male
Geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 31 E
Time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 19 atolls (atholhu singular and plural) and the capital city*; Alifu Baa Dhaalu Faafu Gaafu Alifu Gaafu Dhaalu Gnaviyani Haa Alifu Haa Dhaalu Kaafu Laamu Lhaviyani Maale* (Male) Meemu Noonu Raa Seenu Shaviyani Thaa Vaavu

Dependent areas

Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 26 July (1965)

Constitution: adopted 1 January 1998

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: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval margin is required); president elected for a five-year term; election last held 17 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
Election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
Election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 50

Judicial branch: High Court

Political parties and leaders: political parties were allowed to register in June 2005; the first entrants are: Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Abdul Majeed Abdul BARI]; Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's Party) or DRP [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM]; Islamic Democratic Party or IDP [Omar NASEER]; Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]

International organization participation: AsDB C CP FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO IDA IDB IFAD IFC IMF IMO Interpol IOC IPU ITU MIGA NAM OIC OPCW SAARC SACEP UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed LATHEEF
In the us chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 599-6,195
In the us fax: [1] (212) 661-6,405
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 symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Tourism Maldives' largest industry accounts for 20% 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. Fishing is a second leading 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 lesser 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 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level. In late December 2004 a major tsunami left more than 100 dead 12,000 displaced and property damage exceeding $300 million. Over the past decade real GDP growth averaged over 7.5% per year. As a result of the tsunami the GDP contracted by about 5.5% in 2005.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $1.25 billion (2002 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: -3.6% (2005 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $3,900 (2002 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 20%
Industry: 18%
Services: 62% (2000 est.)

Agriculture products: coconuts corn sweet potatoes; fish

Industries: fish processing tourism shipping boat building coconut processing garments woven mats rope handicrafts coral and sand mining

Industrial production growth rate: -0.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 88,000 (2000)
By occupation agriculture: 22%
By occupation industry: 18%
By occupation services: 60% (1995)

Unemployment rate: NEGL% (2003 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 21% NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $265 million (excluding foreign grants)
Expenditures: $362 million; including capital expenditures of $80 million (2004 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6% (2005 est.)

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: $123 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Commodities: fish clothing
Partners: Japan 22.8% Thailand 22.7% Sri Lanka 16.4% UK 12.6% Singapore 5.8% Germany 4.8% France 4.3% (2005)

Imports: $567 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Commodities: petroleum products ships foodstuffs textiles clothing intermediate and capital goods
Partners: Singapore 24.1% UAE 15.7% India 11.3% Malaysia 7.2% Sri Lanka 5.7% UK 4.5% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $304 million (2004 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2005) 12.8 (2004) 12.8 (2003) 12.8 (2002) 12.24 (2001)


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Electricity
Production: 135 million kWh (2003)
Consumption: 125.6 million kWh (2003)
Exports: 0 kWh (2003)
Imports: 0 kWh (2003)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2003 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2003 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 32,300 (2005)
Mobile cellular: 153,400 (2005)

Telephone system
General assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities
Domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service
International: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .mv
Hosts: 1357 (2006)
Users: 19,000 (2005)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 5.5% (2005 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 5 (2006)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2006)
With unpaved runways total: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (2006)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 88 km
Paved roads: 88 km - 60 km in Male; 14 km on Addu Atolis; 14 km on Laamu
Note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 67,149 GRT/87,220 DWT
By type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2
Registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals: Male


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Idps: 11,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2005)

Illicit drugs