Background: A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887. The islands became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated Maldives' 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. In early February 2012, after several weeks of street protests in response to his ordering the arrest of a top judge, NASHEED purportedly resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. A government-appointed Commission of National Inquiry concluded there was no evidence of a coup, but recommended strengthening the country's democratic institutions to avert similar events in the future. NASHEED contends that police and military personnel forced him to resign. NASHEED, WAHEED, and Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ran in the 2013 elections with YAMEEN ultimately winning the presidency after three rounds of voting. As president, YAMEEN has sought to weaken democratic institutions, curtail civil liberties, jail his political opponents, restrict the press, and exert control over the judiciary to strengthen his hold on power and limit dissent. In February 2018, he declared successive states of emergency in response to a supreme court order to release political prisoners and allow members of parliament who switch parties to retain their seats. Maldivian officials have played a prominent role in international climate change discussions (due to the islands' vulnerability to rising sea-level), though in practice, the YAMEEN government has destroyed mangroves, coral beds, and other natural habitats to make way for development projects.

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
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

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: 0 m
Note: lowest point: Indian Ocean

Natural resources: fish

Land use
Agricultural land: 23.3% (2011 est.)
Forest: 3% (2011 est.)
Other: 73.7% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2012)

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

Geography
Note: smallest Asian country; archipelago of 1,190 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

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: 392,473 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 176
Growth rate: -0.06% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 202
Below poverty line: 15% (2009 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Maldivian(s)
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)

Age structure
0-14 years: 21.62% (male 43,293 /female 41,563)
15-24 years: 19.15% (male 42,849 /female 32,326)
25-54 years: 48.47% (male 106,083 /female 84,160)
55-64 years: 6.22% (male 11,888 /female 12,540)
65 years and over: 4.53% (male 8,101 /female 9,670) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 38 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 32.3 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 17.7 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 28.6 years
Male: 28.4 years
Female: 28.8 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 134

Population growth rate: -0.06% (2018 est.)
Rank: 202

Birth rate: 16.1 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 112

Death rate: 4 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 209

Net migration rate: -12.7 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 213

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: 39.8% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 2.93% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 177,000 MALE (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; inadequate sewage treatment; 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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 1.37 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years: 1.34 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total population: 1.23 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth:

Infant mortality rate
Total: 21.3 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 23.6 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Female: 18.9 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Rank: 76

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76 years (2018 est.)
Male: 73.7 years (2018 est.)
Female: 78.5 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 94

Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 168

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 34.7% (2009)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.5% of population
Rural: 2.1% of population
Total: 1.4% of population (2015 est.)

Physicians density: 3.61 physicians/1000 population (2015)

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

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 2.5% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 1.7% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 2.1% of population (2015 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate note: NA
People living with hivaids note: NA
Deaths note: NA

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

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 17.8% (2009)
Rank: 33

Education expenditures: 4.3% of GDP (2016)
Rank: 103

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
Total population: 99.3% (2015 est.)
Male: 99.8% (2015 est.)
Female: 98.8% (2015 est.)

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 (and capital) 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 Dhivehi 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 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 21 administrative atolls (atholhuthah, singular - atholhu); Addu (Addu City), Ariatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Ari Atoll), Ariatholhu Uthuruburi (North Ari Atoll), Faadhippolhu, Felidhuatholhu (Felidhu Atoll), Fuvammulah, Hahdhunmathi, Huvadhuatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Huvadhu Atoll), Huvadhuatholhu Uthuruburi (North Huvadhu Atoll), Kolhumadulu, Maale (Male), Maaleatholhu (Male Atoll), Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Maalhosmadulu), Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi (North Maalhosmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Miladhunmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Uthuruburi (North Miladhunmadulu), Mulakatholhu (Mulaku Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Nilandhe Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Uthuruburi (North Nilandhe Atoll), Thiladhunmathee Dhekunuburi (South Thiladhunmathi), Thiladhunmathee Uthuruburi (North Thiladhunmathi)

Independence: 26 July 1965 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution
History: many previous; latest ratified 7 August 2008 (2018)
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 (2018)

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 Maldives
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: unknown

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Ibrahim Ibu Mohamed SOLIH (since 17 November 2018); Vice President Faisal NASEEM (since 17 November 2018); the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (since 19 November 2018); Vice President Faisal NASEEM (since 17 November 2018)
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 (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
Election results: Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH elected president (in 1 round); Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 58.3%, Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom (PPM) 41.7%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament or Peoples Majlis (85 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 22 March 2014 (next to be held in 2019)
Election results: percent of vote - MDP 40.8%, PPM 27.7%, JP 13.6%, MDA 4%, AP 2.7% other 0.3%, independent 10.9%; seats by party - PPM 33, MDP 26, JP 15, MDA 5, AP 1, independent 5; composition - men 80, women 5, percent of women 5.9%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 judges); note - only 4 justices as of February 2018; the chief justice and one justice were arrested and imprisoned in early February 2018 following President YAMEEN’s declaration of a state of emergency
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission - a 10-member body of selected high government officials and the public - and upon confirmation by voting members of the Peoples Majlis; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
Subordinate courts: High Court; Criminal, Civil, Family, Juvenile, and Drug Courts; Magistrate Courts (on each of the inhabited islands)

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, chairperson]Progressive Party of Maldives or PPM [Abdulla YAMEEN]Progressive Party of Maldives or PPM - Gayoom faction [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM]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 (since 21 July 2017)
In the us chancery: 801 Second Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 599-6,194 and 599-6,195
In the us FAX: [1] (212) 661-6,405
From the us: the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Atul KESHAP (since 21 August 2015), 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 (National Salute)
Lyricsmusic: 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'

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. Infrastructure projects, largely funded by China, could add significantly to debt levels. Political turmoil and the declaration of a state of emergency in February 2018 led to the issuance of travel warnings by several countries whose citizens visit Maldives in significant numbers, but the overall impact on tourism revenue was unclear.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:
Rank: 168

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 57

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 93

Gross national saving:
Rank: 180 (2016 est.)

Gdp composition by end use
Date:
Exports of goods and services: 93.6% (2016 est.)
Imports of goods and services: 89% (2016 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3% (2015 est.)
Industry: 16% (2015 est.)
Services: 81% (2015 est.)

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: 222,200 (2017 est.)
Rank: 168
By occupation agriculture: 7.7%
By occupation industry: 22.8%
By occupation services: 69.5% (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 35

Population below poverty line: 15% (2009 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 33.3% (FY09/10)
Highest 10: 33.3% (FY09/10)

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 77

Budget
Revenues: 1.19 billion (2016 est.)
Expenditures: 1.643 billion (2016 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -10.1% (of GDP) (2016 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 212

Taxes and other revenues: 26.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)
Rank: 111

Public debt:
Rank: 62

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 116

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 50

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 82

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 160

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 143

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 160

Market value of publicly traded shares: $555 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 112

Current account balance:
Rank: 137

Exports:
Rank: 188
Partners: Thailand 42.8%, Sri Lanka 8.7%, Bangladesh 6.4%, France 6.2%, US 6.1%, Germany 5%, Ireland 4.6% (2017)
Commodities: fish

Imports:
Rank: 164
Commodities: petroleum products, clothing, intermediate and capital goods
Partners: UAE 17.1%, India 13.5%, Singapore 13.3%, China 10.8%, Sri Lanka 6.7%, Malaysia 6%, Thailand 4.5% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 153

Debt external:
Rank: 168

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 133

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 98

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2016)
Production: 402 million kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 171
Consumption: 373.9 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 178
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 165
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 171
Installed generating capacity: 278,000 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 161
Generation sources fossil fuels: 96% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 40
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 137
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 185
Generation sources other renewable sources: 4% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 114

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 168
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 160
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 160
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 164

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 172
Products consumption: 11,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 160
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 177
Products imports: 10,840 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 144

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 165
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 171
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 146
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 153
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2016 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 166

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 1.648 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 161

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 20,377 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 176
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 900,120 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 229 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 161

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 (2016)
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 (2016)
International: country code - 960; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2016)

Broadcast media: state-owned radio and TV monopoly until recently; 1 state-operated and 7 privately owned TV stations and 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned radio stations (2018)

Internet
Country code: .mv
Users total: 232,210 (July 2016 est.)
Users percent of population: 59.1% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 167

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 36,001 (2017 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2017 est.)
Rank: 135

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)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 3 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 15 (2015)

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

Airports: 9 (2013)
Rank: 158
With paved runways total: 7 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2017)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 2 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2013)

Roadways
Total: 93 km (2018)
Paved: 93 km
Note: - 60 km in Male; 16 km on Addu Atolis; 17 km on Laamu (2018): note: island roads are mainly compacted coral
Rank: 216

Merchant marine
Total: 66 (2017)
By type: bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 27, oil tanker 14, other 23 (2017)
Rank: 104

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Male

Disputes international: none