Background: The Maldives were long a sultanate first under Dutch and then under British protection. They 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 island's 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.

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: 16.67%
Other: 70% (2001)

Irrigated land: NA km²

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

Population: 339,330 (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: 2.86% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: 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

Age structure
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 77,424; female 73,191)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 91,045; female 87,331)
65 years and over: 3% (male 5,207; female 5,132) (2004 est.)

Median age
Total: 17.5 years
Male: 17.4 years
Female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.86% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 36.06 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 7.44 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 est.)

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

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: 1.02 male/female
Total population: 1.05 male/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 58.32 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 57.43 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 59.26 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 63.68 years
Male: 62.41 years
Female: 65.01 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.14 children born/woman (2004 est.)

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

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

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: Male

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

Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 26 July (1965)

Constitution: adopted January 1998

Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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: although political parties are not banned none exist

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Dr. 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
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

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.

Real gdp growth rate: 2.3% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

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: 4.4% (1996 est.)

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

Unemployment rate: NEGL% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA

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

Budget
Revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)
Expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (2002 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1% (2002 est.)

Exports: $90 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: fish clothing
Partners: US 32.1% Thailand 17% Sri Lanka 13.4% Japan 10.7% UK 9.8% Indonesia 4.5% (2003)

Imports: $392 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Commodities: consumer goods intermediate and capital goods petroleum products
Partners: Singapore 24.8% Sri Lanka 13.8% India 10.2% Malaysia 7.6% UAE 7.6% Thailand 5.1% (2003)

Debt external: $281 million (2003 est.)

Exchange rates: rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2003) 12.8 (2002) 12.2421 (2001) 11.77 (2000) 11.77 (1999)

Electricity
Production: 117 million kWh (2001)
Consumption: 108.8 million kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 28,700 (2002)
Mobile cellular: 41,900 (2002)

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)

Internet
Country code: .mv
Hosts: 532 (2003)
Users: 15,000 (2002)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $43.1 million (2003)
Percent of gdp: 8.6% (2003)

Airports: 5 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Merchant marine
Total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,164 GRT/68,973 DWT
By type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, short-sea/passenger 1
Foreign owned: North Korea 1
Registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)

Disputes international: none