|
|
|
Background:
|
The
Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and
then under British protection. It 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 islands' 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. |
|
Location:
|
Southern
Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean,
south-southwest of India |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
3 15 N,
73 00 E |
|
Map references:
|
Asia |
|
Area:
|
total:
300 sq km
land: 300 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
|
Area - 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
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 sq km
|
|
Natural hazards:
|
low level
of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
|
|
Environment - current issues:
|
depletion
of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global
warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching |
|
Environment - international agreements:
|
party
to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
|
Geography - note:
|
1,190
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:
|
349,106
(July 2005 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14
years: 43.9% (male 78,794/female 74,505)
15-64 years: 53% (male 94,488/female 90,624)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,339/female 5,356)
(2005 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
17.69 years
male: 17.58 years
female: 17.8 years (2005 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
2.82%
(2005 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
35.43
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
7.24
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
56.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 55.63 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 57.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 64.06 years
male: 62.76 years
female: 65.42 years (2005 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
5.02
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
0.1%
(2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
less than
100 (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
NA |
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
South
Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs |
|
Religions:
|
Sunni
Muslim |
|
Languages:
|
Maldivian
Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from
Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
|
|
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 1
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:
|
unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42
elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president;
members serve five-year terms)
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 |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
none |
|
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: Ambassador Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York,
NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195 |
|
Diplomatic representation 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. In
late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100
dead, 12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding
$300 million. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
$1.25
billion (2002 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
2.3%
(2002 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 20%
industry: 18%
services: 62% (2000 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
88,000
(2000) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture 22%, industry 18%, 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 |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
1% (2002
est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)
expenditures: $282 million, including capital
expenditures of $80 million (2002 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.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
124.4
million kWh (2002) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil
fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
115.7
million kWh (2002) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh
(2002) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh
(2002) |
|
Oil - production:
|
0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
3,200
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
NA |
|
Oil - imports:
|
NA |
|
Exports:
|
$90
million f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
fish,
clothing |
|
Exports - partners:
|
US 26.5%,
Thailand 23.5%, Sri Lanka 12.3%, Japan 11.7%, UK 9.8%,
Germany 4.9% (2004) |
|
Imports:
|
$392
million f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
petroleum
products, ships, foodstuffs, textiles, clothing,
intermediate and capital goods |
|
Imports - partners:
|
Singapore
24.9%, Sri Lanka 10.6%, UAE 10.3%, India 10.2%, Malaysia
7.6%, Bahrain 5.4% (2004) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$281
million (2003 est.) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
NA (1995)
|
|
Currency (code):
|
rufiyaa
(MVR) |
|
Currency code:
|
MVR |
|
Exchange rates:
|
rufiyaa
per US dollar - 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002),
12.24 (2001), 11.77 (2000) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar
year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
28,700
(2002) |
|
Telephones - 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) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 1, FM
1, shortwave 1 (1998) |
|
Radios:
|
35,000
(1999) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
1 (1997)
|
|
Televisions:
|
10,000
(1999) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.mv |
|
Internet hosts:
|
532
(2003) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
1 (2000)
|
|
Internet users:
|
15,000
(2002) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Male |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total:
16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 57,118 GRT/72,831 DWT
by type: cargo 12, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2005) |
|
Airports:
|
5 (2004
est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total:
3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
National
Security Service includes Security Branch (ground
forces), Air Element, Coast Guard |
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
18 years
of age (est.) (2004) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males
age 18-49: 71,774 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males
age 18-49: 56,687 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$41.1
million (2004) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
5.5%
(2004) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
none |
|
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
|
IDPs:
12,000 (26 December 2004 tsunami victims) (2005) |
|
This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
|
|
| |
|
|
