Background: A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887 and 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. After political demonstrations in the capital Male in 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 2008, a constituent assembly -- termed the 'Special Majlis' -- finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held later that year. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist whom the regime had jailed several years earlier. In 2012, after several weeks of street protests in response to a top judge's arrest, NASHEED resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. A government-appointed Commission of National Inquiry concluded that there was no evidence of a coup, but NASHEED contended 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. In 2018, YAMEEN lost his reelection bid to parliamentarian Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH. YAMEEN was arrested and jailed in 2022 on corruption charges. Maldives' fourth democratic election was held in September 2023. The winner, Male City Mayor Dr. Mohamed MUIZZU, campaigned on a platform of Maldivian sovereignty, vowing to remove Indian military personnel from the country. MUIZZU represents a joint Progressive Pary of Maldives and People's National Congress (PPM/PNC) coalition.

Area
Total: 298 km²
Land: 298 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about 1.7 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 644 km

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

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Terrain: flat coral atolls, with white sandy beaches; sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive Ridge

Elevation
Highest point: 8th tee, golf course, Villingi Island 5 m
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 2 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 19.8% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 13.4% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 3% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.)
Forest: 12.5% (2023 est.)
Other: 67.7% (2023 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 along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

Population
Total: 388,858 (2024 est.)
Male: 197,739
Female: 191,119
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
Growth rate: -0.2% (2024 est.)

Languages: Dhivehi (official, closely related to Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English (spoken by most government officials)

Religions: Sunni Muslim (official)

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.4% (male 44,321/female 42,626)
15-64 years: 71.5% (male 143,021/female 135,044)
65 years and over: 6.1% (2024 est.) (male 10,397/female 13,449)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 39.8 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 31.3 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 8.6 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 11.7 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 31.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 31.3 years
Female: 32.4 years

Population growth rate: -0.2% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 15.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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: 42% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 2.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 32 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 24.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 27.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 21.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 75.1 years
Female: 79.9 years

Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 14.8% (2017 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 4.7% (2024 est.); 4.3% (2023 est.); 4.5% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Malé
Geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E
Time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name may come from the Sanskrit word mala, or 'garland'

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)

Legal system: Islamic (sharia) 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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023)
Head of government: President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by People's Majlis
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
Most recent election date: 9 September 2023, with runoff on 30 September 2023
2023: Mohamed MUIZZU elected president in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Mohamed MUIZZU (PNC) 46.1%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 39.1%, Ilyas LABEEB (DEMS) 7.1%, other 7.7%; percent of vote in the second round - Mohamed MUIZZU 54%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH 46%
2018: Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH elected president in first round; Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 58.3%, Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom (PPM) 41.7%
Expected date of next election: 2,028

Legislative branch
Legislature name: People's Majlis (Majlis)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 93 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 4/21/2024
Parties elected and seats per party: People's National Congress (PNC) (66); Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) (12); Independents (11); Other (4)
Percentage of women in chamber: 3.2%
Expected date of next election: April 2,029

Flag description: red with a large green rectangle in the center and a vertical white crescent moon centered on the rectangle

National anthem
Title: 'Gaumee Salaam' (National Salute)
Lyrics/music: Mohamed Jameel DIDI/Wannakuwattawaduge DON AMARADEVA
History: lyrics adopted 1948, music adopted 1972; the anthem has seven verses, but only the first two are commonly used

Real gdp growth rate: 5.1% (2024 est.); 4.7% (2023 est.); 13.8% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 5.1% (2024 est.); 4.7% (2023 est.); 13.8% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 51.4% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 17.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 35% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: -2% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 74.4% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -75.7% (2023 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3% (2024 est.)
Industry: 9% (2024 est.)
Services: 73.8% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: -2.7% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 270,300 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 4.7% (2024 est.); 4.3% (2023 est.); 4.5% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 4.7% (2024 est.); 4.3% (2023 est.); 4.5% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $1.407 billion (2021 est.)
Expenditures: $1.939 billion (2021 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 19.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $5.413 billion (2024 est.); $4.88 billion (2023 est.); $5.096 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: fish, aircraft, refined petroleum, scrap iron, natural gas (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $5.344 billion (2024 est.); $4.984 billion (2023 est.); $4.939 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, plastic products, aircraft, granite, ships (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 432,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 821.397 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 25.867 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 6.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Imports: 8 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.908 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 1.908 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 50.886 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 13,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 745,000 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 137 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 85% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 98,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: not available

Airports: 20 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 82 (2023)
By type: general cargo 30, oil tanker 20, other 32