Statistical information Maldives 2017

Maldives in the World

Maldives - Introduction 2017

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 GAYOOM and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Political parties were legalized in 2005.
In June 2008 a constituent assembly - termed the 'Special Majlis' - finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM in August 2008. 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 GAYOOM regime. 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 in response to his ordering the arrest 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 established by the government to probe events leading up to NASHEED's resignation. Though the commission found no evidence of a coup the report recommended strengthening the country's democratic institutions to avert similar events in the future and to investigate alleged police misconduct during the crisis. NASHEED WAHEED and Abdulla YAMEEN ran in the 2013 elections with YAMEEN ultimately winning the presidency after three rounds of voting. Maldivian officials have played a prominent role in international climate change discussions (due to the islands' vulnerability to rising sea-level).

Maldives - Geography 2017

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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
Mean elevation: 1.8 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m: highest point: 8th tee golf course Villingi Island 5 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 (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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 2017

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Population
Distribution: about a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City; the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago: 392,709 (July 2017 est.)
Rank: 176
Growth rate: -0.06% (2017 est.)
Growth rate rank: 206
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: 21.4%
15-24 years: 20.21%
25-54 years: 48.1%
55-64 years: 5.85%
65 years and over: 4.45% (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 38
Youth dependency ratio: 32.3
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.7
Potential support ratio: 17.7

Median age
Total: 28.2 years
Male: 28.1 years
Female: 28.3 years
Rank: 138

Population growth rate: -0.06% (2017 est.)
Rank: 206

Birth rate: 16.1 births/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 115

Death rate: 4 deaths/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 209

Net migration rate: -12.7 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 214

Population distribution: about a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City; the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago

Urbanization
Urban population: 47.5% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 3.52% annual rate of change

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

Environment
Current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; 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: 1.37 male/female
25-54 years: 1.34 male/female
55-64 years: 1 male/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male/female
Total population: 1.23 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth: 23.9 years
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 22 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 24.4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 19.6 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 74

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.8 years
Male: 73.5 years
Female: 78.3 years
Rank: 97

Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2017 est.)
Rank: 168

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: 1.58 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: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 8.6% (2016)
Rank: 148

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

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

Education expenditures: 5.7% of GDP (2015)
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 2017

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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
Etymology: archipelago apparently named after the main island of Male; the word 'Maldives' means 'the islands (dives) of Male'; alternatively the name may derive from the Sanskrit word 'maladvipa' meaning 'garland of islands'; Dhivehi Raajje in Maldivian means 'Kingdom of the Dhivehi people'

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Male
Geographic coordinates: 4 10 N 73 30 E
Time difference: UTC+5

Administrative divisions: 21 administrative atolls (atholhuthah singular - atholhu); Addu Ariatholhu Dhekunuburi Ariatholhu Uthuruburi Faadhippolhu Felidhuatholhu Fuvammulah Hahdhunmathi Huvadhuatholhu Dhekunuburi Huvadhuatholhu Uthuruburi Kolhumadulu Maale Maaleatholhu Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi Miladhunmadulu Dhekunuburi Miladhunmadulu Uthuruburi Mulakatholhu Nilandheatholhu Dhekunuburi Nilandheatholhu Uthuruburi Thiladhunmathee Dhekunuburi Thiladhunmathee Uthuruburi

Dependent areas

Independence: 26 July 1965 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 26 July (1965)

Constitution
History: many previous; latest ratified 7 August 2008
Amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote by its membership and the signature of the president of the republic; passage of amendments to constitutional articles on rights and freedoms and the terms of office of Parliament and of the president also requires a majority vote in a referendum; amended 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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Maldives
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: unknown

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ; Vice President Abdulla JIHAD (since 21 June 2016); the president is both chief of state and head of government; note - Vice President Mohamed JAMEEL was removed from office 22 July 2015 and Vice President Ahmed ADHEEB Abdul Ghafoor was removed from office 5 November 2015
Head of government: President Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ; Vice President Abdulla JIHAD (since 21 June 2016); note - Vice President Mohamed JAMEEL was removed from office 22 July 2015 and Vice President Ahmed ADHEEB Abdul Ghafoor was removed from office 5 November 2015
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president approved by Parliament
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 2013 (next election to be held in 2018)
Election results: percent of vote in first round - Mohamed NASHEED 46.9% Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom (PPM) 29.7% Qasim IBRAHIM (JP) 23.3%; Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom elected president in second round - Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom 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 - MDP 40.8% PPM 27.7% JP 13.6% MDA 4.0% AP 2.7% other 0.3% independent 10.9%; seats by party - PPM 33 MDP 26 JP 15 MDA 5 AP 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:

Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Sheikh Imran ABDULLA]
Maldives Development Alliance or MDA [Ahmed Shiyam MOHAMED]
Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Hassan LATHEEF]
Progressive Party of Maldives or PPM [Abdulla YAMEEN]
Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP [Qasim IBRAHIM]

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 Ali NASEER Mohamed
In the us chancery: 801 Second Avenue Suite 400E New York NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] 599-6,194 and 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

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 2017

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Economy overview:

Maldives has quickly become a middle-income country driven by the rapid growth of its tourism and fisheries sectors but the country still contends with a large and growing fiscal deficit. Economic growth slowed to 2.8% in 2015 mainly because of a decline in tourists from China and Russia. Despite lower growth tourism-related tax receipts increased by 13% in 2015 because of higher tax rates. This increase in tax receipts led to higher usable foreign exchange reserves that helped partially fund increases in construction related imports.
In 2015 Maldives’ Parliament passed a constitutional amendment legalizing foreign ownership of land; foreign land-buyers must reclaim at least 70% of the desired land from the ocean and invest at least $1 billion in a construction project approved by Parliament.
Diversifying the economy beyond tourism and fishing reforming public finance increasing employment opportunities and combating corruption cronyism and a growing drug problem are 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:

$6.483 billion (2016 est.)
$6.161 billion (2015 est.)
$5.9 billion (2014 est.)

Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 169

Real gdp growth rate:

3.9% (2016 est.)
3.3% (2015 est.)
7.6% (2014 est.)

Rank: 69

Real gdp per capita:

$18,300 (2016 est.)
$17,900 (2015 est.)
$17,700 (2014 est.)

Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 104

Gross national saving:

0.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
12.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
16.8% of GDP (2014 est.)

Rank: 173

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: NA%
Government consumption: NA%
Investment in fixed capital: NA%
Investment in inventories: NA%
Exports of goods and services: 108.2%
Imports of goods and services: 89.3%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3%
Industry: 16%
Services: 81%

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: 6

Labor force: 195,100 (2014)
Rank: 176
By occupation agriculture: 15%
By occupation industry: 15%
By occupation services: 70%

Labor force

Unemployment rate:

11.6% (2013 est.)
11% (2012 est.)

Rank: 145

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:

38.4 (2009 est.)
37.4 (2004 est.)

Rank: 71

Budget
Revenues: $1.481 billion
Expenditures: $1.7 billion
Surplus or deficit: -6.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 178

Taxes and other revenues: 43.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
Rank: 27

Public debt:

81.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
72% of GDP (2015 est.)

Rank: 34

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:

0.8% (2016 est.)
1.4% (2015 est.)

Rank: 84

Central bank discount rate:

7% (31 December 2013)
6.96% (31 December 2011)

Rank: 49

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

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

Rank: 75

Stock of narrow money:

$338.5 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$623 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Rank: 175

Stock of broad money:

$1.337 billion (31 December 2015)
$1.298 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Rank: 167

Stock of domestic credit:

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

Rank: 157

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

Current account balance:

$-831 million (2016 est.)
$-326 million (2015 est.)

Rank: 104

Exports:

$239.7 million (2015 est.)
$300.9 million (2014 est.)

Rank: 185
Commodities: fish
Partners: Thailand 33.8% Sri Lanka 10% US 8.7% France 8.6% Germany 8.6% Ireland 4.9% Italy 4.8% UK 4.1% (2016)

Imports:

$1.896 billion (2015 est.)
$1.993 billion (2014 est.)

Rank: 164
Commodities: petroleum products clothing intermediate and capital goods
Partners: UAE 15.6% Singapore 14.3% China 13.4% India 12.9% Sri Lanka 6.3% Malaysia 5.7% Thailand 4.7% (2016)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$565.5 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$627.4 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Rank: 141

Debt external:

$693.7 million (2015 est.)
$741.6 million (2014 est.)

Rank: 171

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:

$324 million (31 December 2015)
$256 million (31 December 2013)

Rank: 127

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:

rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar -
15.25 (2016)
15.25 (2015)

Maldives - Energy 2017

Maldives - Communication 2017

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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 21,136
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5
Fixed lines rank: 183
Mobile cellular total: 812,128
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 207
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 over 200 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) (2016)

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: 232,210
Users percent of population: 59.1%
Users rank: 201

Broadband fixed subscriptions

Maldives - Military 2017

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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 2017

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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 3
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 15

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 8Q (2016)

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 2017

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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Rank: li>a href='../rankorder/rankorderguide.html'>Guide to Country Comparisons

Illicit drugs