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. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated the islands' political scene for 30 years elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004 the president and his government pledged to embark upon democratic reforms including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress was sluggish however and many promised reforms were slow to be realized. Nonetheless political parties were legalized in 2005. In June 2008 a constituent assembly - termed the 'Special Majlis' - finalized a new constitution which was ratified by the president in August. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the former regime. Challenges facing the new president include strengthening democracy and combating poverty and drug abuse.


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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: 0.03 km³ (1999)

Natural hazards: low level of islands makes them 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: 385,925 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 5.566% (2008 est.)

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: 23.5% (male 46,174/female 44,396)
15-64 years: 72.7% (male 172,279/female 108,152)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 7,510/female 7,414) (2008 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 25.1 years
Male: 26 years
Female: 23.7 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 5.566% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 14.84 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 3.66 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: NA (2008 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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female
15-64 years: 1.59 male/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male/female
Total population: 1.41 male/female (2008 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 30.63 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 33.15 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 27.98 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.72 years
Male: 71.55 years
Female: 76.01 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.97 children born/woman (2008 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: fewer 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: 8% of GDP (2006)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 96.3%
Male: 96.2%
Female: 96.4% (2000 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 12 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 12 years (2006)

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 30 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: new constitution ratified 7 August 2008

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 Mohamed NASHEED (since 11 November 2008); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Mohamed NASHEED (since 11 November 2008); Vice President (vacant)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections: under the new constitution, the president is elected by direct vote; president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 and 28 October 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
Election results: Mohamed NASHEED elected president; percent of vote - NASHEED 54.25%, Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 45.75%; note - NASHEED is expected to assume office on 11 November 2008

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

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Supreme Court judges are appointed by the President with approval of voting members of the People's Council; High Court; Trial Courts; all lower court judges are appointed by the Judicial Service Commission

Political parties and leaders: 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]; note - political parties were allowed to register in June 2005

International organization participation: ADB 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 UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Hussain MANIKU
In the us chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 599-6,194
In the us fax: [1] (212) 599-6,195
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

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 28% 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 the second leading sector. 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 7% of GDP. 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. Real GDP growth averaged over 7.5% per year for more than a decade. In late December 2004 a major tsunami left more than 100 dead 12,000 displaced and property damage exceeding $300 million. As a result of the tsunami the GDP contracted by about 3.6% in 2005. A rebound in tourism post-tsunami reconstruction and development of new resorts helped the economy recover quickly. The trade deficit has expanded sharply as a result of high oil prices and imports of construction material. Diversifying beyond tourism and fishing and increasing employment are the major challenges facing the government. Over the longer term Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is 1 meter or less above sea level.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $1.588 billion (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 6.6% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $4,600 (2007 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 16%
Industry: 7%
Services: 77% (2006 est.)

Agriculture products: coconuts corn sweet potatoes; fish

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

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

Labor force: 101,300 (2004)
By occupation agriculture: 22%
By occupation industry: 18%
By occupation services: 60% (1995)

Unemployment rate: NEGL% (2003 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

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

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $508 million (including foreign grants)
Expenditures: $671 million (2006 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate: 12.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 13% (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $1.08 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$472 million (2007)

Exports: $167 million f.o.b. (2006)
Commodities: fish
Partners: Thailand 28.3% UK 17.6% France 8.8% Sri Lanka 8.6% Algeria 8.2% Japan 6.4% Italy 4.1% (2007)

Imports: $930 million f.o.b. (2006)
Commodities: petroleum products ships foodstuffs clothing intermediate and capital goods
Partners: Canada 35.2% Singapore 15% UAE 10.2% India 7.4% Malaysia 7.1% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $482 million (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar - NA (2007) 12.8 (2006) 12.8 (2005) 12.8 (2004) 12.8 (2003)


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Electricity
Production: 230 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption: 203.7 million kWh (2006 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2006 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 33,200 (2007)
Mobile cellular: 317,800 (2007)

Telephone system
General assessment: telephone services have improved; each island now has at least 1 public telephone, and there are mobile cellular networks with a rapidly expanding subscribership approaching 90 per 100 persons
Domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service
International: country code - 960; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2007)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .mv
Hosts: 1600 (2008)
Users: 33,000 (2007)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 5.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 5 (2007)
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2007)

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: 29
By type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 23, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2
Foreign owned: 1 (Greece 1)
Registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 1, Tuvalu 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals: Male


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Idps: 1,000-10,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2007)

Illicit drugs