Statistical information Maldives 2015

Maldives in the World

Maldives - Introduction 2015

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Background: A sultanate since the 12th century the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887. 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 political demonstrations in the capital Male in August 2003 the president and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and 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. President NASHEED faced a number of challenges including strengthening democracy and combating poverty and drug abuse. In early February 2012 after several weeks of street protests following his sacking of a top judge NASHEED resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. In mid-2012 a Commission of National Inquiry was set by the government to probe events leading up to NASHEED's resignation. Though the commission found no evidence of a coup the report recommended the need to strengthen the country's democratic institutions to avert similar events in the future and to further investigate alleged police misconduct during the crisis. Maldivian officials have played a prominent role in international climate change discussions (due to the islands' low elevation and the threat from sea-level rise) on the UN Human Rights Council and in other international forums as well as in encouraging regional cooperation especially between India and Pakistan.

Maldives - Geography 2015

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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: 298 km²
Land: 298 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 210
Comparative: about 1.7 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 644 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
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 Viligili in the Addu Atholhu 2.4 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use

Land use
Agricultural land: 23.3%

arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 10%
permanent pasture: 3.3%

Forest: 3%
Other: 73.7%

Irrigated land: 0 km² NA (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 0.03 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise

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

Maldives - People 2015

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Population: 393,253 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 177
Growth rate: -0.08% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 205
Below poverty line: 16% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Maldivian
Adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups: South Indians Sinhalese Arabs

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

Religions: Sunni Muslim (official)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years: 21.05%
15-24 years: 22.41%
25-54 years: 47.08%
55-64 years: 5.14%
65 years and over: 4.32% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 47.4%
Youth dependency ratio: 40.5%
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.9%
Potential support ratio: 14.4%

Median age
Total: 27.4 years
Male: 27.5 years
Female: 27.3 years

Population growth rate: -0.08% (2015 est.)
Rank: 205

Birth rate: 15.75 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 125

Death rate: 3.89 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 209

Net migration rate: -12.68 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 216

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 45.5% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 4.49% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: MALE (capital) 156,000 (2014)

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
0-14 years: 1.04 male/female
15-24 years: 1.38 male/female
25-54 years: 1.38 male/female
55-64 years: 1.03 male/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male/female
Total population: 1.26 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 23.7 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 26.11 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 21.17 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 73

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.37 years
Male: 73.06 years
Female: 77.8 years
Rank: 101

Total fertility rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 166

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 34.7% (2009)

Drinking water source:

urban: 99.5% of population
rural: 97.9% of population
total: 98.6% of population
urban: 0.5% of population
rural: 2.1% of population
total: 1.4% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 1.42 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density: 4.3 beds/1000 population (2009)

Sanitation facility access:

urban: 97.5% of population
rural: 98.3% of population
total: 97.9% of population
urban: 2.5% of population
rural: 1.7% of population
total: 2.1% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (2013 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 133
People living with hivaids: fewer than 100 (2013 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 127
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2013 est.)
Deaths rank: 113

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 7% (2014)
Rank: 126

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 17.8% (2009)
Rank: 36

Education expenditures: 6.2% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 26

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99.3%
Male: 99.8%
Female: 98.8%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment

Maldives - Government 2015

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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

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 municipality*; Dhekunu (South) Maale* Mathi Dhekunu (Upper South) Mathi Uthuru (Upper North) Medhu (Central) Medhu Dhekunu (South Central) Medhu Uthuru (North Central) Uthuru (North)

Dependent areas

Independence: 26 July 1965 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 26 July (1965)

Constitution: many previous; latest ratified 7 August 2008; amended 2015 (2015)

Legal system: Islamic religious legal system with English common law influences primarily in commercial matters

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ; Vice President Ahmed ADHEEB Abdul Ghafoor (since 22 July 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ; Vice President Ahmed ADHEEB Abdul Ghafoor (since 22 July 2015)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term ; the election held on 7 September 2013 was annulled by the Supreme Court; rerun of first round held on 9 November 2013 and a runoff held on 16 November (next election to be held in 2018)
Election results: first round ; percent of vote - Mohamed NASHEED (MDP) 46.9% Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom (PPM) 29.7% Qasim IBRAHIM (JP) 23.3%; runoff (16 November 2013); percent of vote - Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom elected president 51.4% Mohamed NASHEED 48.6%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament or People's Majlis
Elections: last held on 22 March 2014
Election results: percent of vote - PPM 40% MDP 28.2% JP 18.8% MDA 5.9% other 1.2% independent 5.9%; seats by party - PPM 33 MDP 26 JP 15 MDA 5 other 1 independent 5

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission - a separate 10-member body of selected high government officials and the public - and upon confirmation by voting members of the People's Majlis; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
Subordinate courts: High Court; Criminal Civil Family Juvenile and Drug Courts; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders
Note: political parties with an asterisk were dissolved on 7 February 2014 by the Elections Commission under the Political Parties Act which requires a minimum membership; the status of these parties is unresolved as the Supreme Court later ruled the dissolution invalid:

Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP [Qasim IBRAHIM]
Social Liberal Party or SLP [Mazian RASHEED]*

International organization participation: ADB AOSIS C CP FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICC (NGOs) ICCt IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ITU MIGA NAM OIC OPCW SAARC SACEP UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ahmed SAREER
In the us chancery: 800 2nd Avenue Suite 400E New York NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] 599-6,195
In the us FAX: [1] 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

Flag description

: red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent moon; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag; red recalls those who have sacrificed their lives in defense of their country the green rectangle represents peace and prosperity and the white crescent signifies Islam

National symbols: coconut palm yellowfin tuna; national colors: red green white

National anthem
Name: 'Gaumee Salaam'
Lyrics and music: Mohamed Jameel DIDI/Wannakuwattawaduge DON AMARADEVA
Note: lyrics adopted 1948 music adopted 1972; between 1948 and 1972 the lyrics were sung to the tune of 'Auld Lang Syne'

National heritage

Maldives - Economy 2015

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Economy overview:

Tourism Maldives' largest economic activity accounts for nearly 30% of GDP and more than 60% of foreign exchange receipts. Fishing is the second leading sector but the fish catch has dropped sharply in recent years. 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.
Lower than expected tourist arrivals and fish exports combined with high government spending on social needs subsidies and civil servant salaries contributed to a balance of payments crisis which was temporarily eased with a $79.3 million IMF Stand-By agreement. However after the first two disbursements the IMF withheld subsequent disbursements due to concerns over Maldives' growing budget deficit and the government has been seeking other sources of budgetary support ever since. A new Goods and Services Tax (GST) on tourism introduced in January 2011 on general goods and services in October 2011 and a new Business Profit Tax introduced in July 2011 have provided a boost to revenue. In recent years gross foreign exchange reserves have hovered around $300 million sufficient to finance about two to three months of imports.
In August 2014 the Maldives’ Parliament passed a bill to create special economic zones a step aimed at attracting investment and diversifying the economy away from tourism and fishing. The Maldives’ also took some steps to reduce the fiscal deficit in 2015 such as imposing a green tax on tourist establishments and raising import duties but the deficit will grow because of increasing public expenditures.
Diversifying the economy beyond tourism and fishing reforming public finance increasing employment opportunities and combating corruption cronyism and a growing drug problem are other near-term 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:

$4.92 billion (2014 est.)
$4.685 billion (2013 est.)
$4.476 billion (2012 est.)

Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 177

Real gdp growth rate:

5% (2014 est.)
4.7% (2013 est.)
1.3% (2012 est.)

Rank: 62

Real gdp per capita:

$14,400 (2014 est.)
$13,700 (2013 est.)
$13,100 (2012 est.)

Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 117

Gross national saving:

11.6% of GDP (2014 est.)
13.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
9.4% of GDP (2012 est.)

Rank: 172

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4%
Industry: 23%
Services: 73%

Agriculture products: coconuts corn sweet potatoes; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate: 14% (2012 est.)
Rank: 4

Labor force: 159,700 (2012)
Rank: 177
By occupation agriculture: 15%
By occupation industry: 15%
By occupation services: 70%

Labor force

Unemployment rate:

11% (2012 est.)
12% (2011 est.)

Rank: 116

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 16% (2008 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.2%
Highest 10: 33.3%

Distribution of family income gini index: 37.4 (2004 est.)
Rank: 78

Budget
Revenues: $762 million
Expenditures: $876 million
Surplus or deficit: -4.7% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 156

Taxes and other revenues: 31.7% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 82

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:

2.5% (2014 est.)
10.9% (2012 est.)

Rank: 115

Central bank discount rate:

7% (31 December 2012)
6.96% (31 December 2011)

Rank: 46

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

10.5% (31 December 2012 est.)
10.2% (31 December 2011 est.)

Rank: 80

Stock of narrow money:

$623 million (31 December 2013 est.)
$547.1 million (31 December 2012 est.)

Rank: 158

Stock of broad money:

$1.538 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
$1.298 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Rank: 160

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.559 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$1.601 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Rank: 148

Market value of publicly traded shares: $555 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 113

Current account balance:

-$232.4 million (2013 est.)
$310 million (2012 est.)

Rank: 95

Exports:

$166 million (2013 est.)
$161 million (2012 est.)

Rank: 186
Commodities: fish
Partners: Thailand 18.8% France 16% US 10.9% Japan 7.5% Germany 7.2% UK 6.1% Italy 5.5% Sri Lanka 4.7% (2014)

Imports:

$1.728 billion (2013 est.)
$1.55 billion (2012 est.)

Rank: 169
Commodities: petroleum products clothing intermediate and capital goods
Partners: Singapore 18% UAE 18% India 9% Malaysia 8.3% China 6.7% Sri Lanka 5.7% Thailand 5.5% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$368.3 million (31 December 2013 est.)
$356 million (30 November 2012 est.)

Rank: 155

Debt external:

$793.6 million (2013 est.)
$890.8 million (2012 est.)

Rank: 168

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:

rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar -
15.41 (2013)
15.37 (2012)

Maldives - Energy 2015

Maldives - Communication 2015

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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 21,500
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5
Fixed lines rank: 183
Mobile cellular total: 665,800
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 169
Mobile cellular rank: 164

Telephone system
General assessment: telephone services have improved; inter-atoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service
Domestic: each island now has at least 1 public telephone and there are mobile-cellular networks with a rapidly expanding subscribership that has reached 135 per 100 persons
International: country code - 960; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe ; satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2011)

Broadcast media: state-owned radio and TV monopoly until recently; state-owned TV operates 2 channels; 3 privately owned TV stations; state owns Voice of Maldives and operates both an entertainment and a music-based station; 5 privately owned radio stations (2012)

Internet
Country code: .mv
Users total: 18,600
Users percent of population: 4.7%
Users rank: 201

Broadband fixed subscriptions

Maldives - Military 2015

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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-28 years of age for voluntary service; no conscription; 10th grade or equivalent education required; must not be a member of a political party (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups

Maldives - Transportation 2015

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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 9 (2013)
Rank: 159
With paved runways total: 7
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2

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: island roads are mainly compacted coral
Rank: 216

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 18
By type: bulk carrier 1 cargo 14 petroleum tanker 1 refrigerated cargo 2
Foreign owned: 4
Registered in other countries: 4 (2010)
Rank: 97

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Male

Maldives - Transnational issues 2015

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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs

Maldives
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