from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Maldives
Introduction
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.
Geography
Location: Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean,
south-southwest of India
Geographic 3 15 N, 73 00 E
coordinates:
Map Asia
references:
Area: total: 300 sq km
land: 300 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 644 km
Maritime measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
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 lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in
the Addu Atoll 2.4 m
Natural fish
resources:
Land use: arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 30%
other: 56.67% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea
hazards: level rise
Environment - depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water
current supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef
issues: bleaching
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
agreements: Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200
note: inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist
resorts); archipelago with strategic location astride
and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
People
Population: 359,008 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.4% (male 80,113/female 75,763)
15-64 years: 53.5% (male 98,040/female 94,029)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,477/female 5,586) (2006
est.)
Median age: total: 17.9 years
male: 17.8 years
female: 18 years (2006 est.)
Population 2.78% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 34.81 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 7.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 54.89 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 54.01 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 55.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 64.41 years
expectancy at male: 63.08 years
birth: female: 65.8 years (2006 est.)
Total 4.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.1% (2001 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - less than 100 (2001 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
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.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives
local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
Government republic
type:
Capital: name: Male
geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 31 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time)
Administrative 19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and the
divisions: capital city*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu,
Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu,
Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale* (Male), Meemu, Noonu, Raa,
Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu
Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)
National Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
holiday:
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 chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since
branch: 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 unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42
branch: 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 High Court
branch:
Political political parties were allowed to register in June
parties and 2005; the first entrants are: Adhaalath (Justice) Party
leaders: or AP [Abdul Majeed Abdul BARI]; Dhivehi Rayyithunge
Party (Maldivian People's Party) or DRP [Maumoon Abdul
GAYOOM]; Islamic Democratic Party or IDP [Omar NASEER];
Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]
Political various unregistered political parties
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
organization IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC,
participation: OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed LATHEEF
representation chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY
in the US: 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195
FAX: [1] (212) 661-6405
Diplomatic the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US
representation Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and
from the US: makes periodic visits there
Flag red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing
description: a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the
crescent is on the hoist side of the flag
Economy
Economy - Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 20%
overview: 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. Over the past
decade, real GDP growth averaged over 7.5% per year. As
a result of the tsunami, the GDP contracted by about
5.5% in 2005.
GDP $1.25 billion (2002 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $817 million
exchange
rate):
GDP - real -3.6% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $3,900 (2002 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 20%
composition by industry: 18%
sector: services: 62% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 88,000 (2000)
Labor force - agriculture: 22%
by occupation: industry: 18%
services: 60% (1995)
Unemployment NEGL% (2003 est.)
rate:
Population 21% NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 6% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $265 million (excluding foreign grants)
expenditures: $362 million; including capital
expenditures of $80 million (2004 est.)
Agriculture - coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
products:
Industries: fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building,
coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope,
handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Industrial -0.9% (2004 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 135 million kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 125.6 million kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 4,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Exports: $123 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - fish, clothing
commodities:
Exports - Japan 22.8%, Thailand 22.7%, Sri Lanka 16.4%, UK 12.6%,
partners: Singapore 5.8%, Germany 4.8%, France 4.3% (2005)
Imports: $567 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, textiles,
commodities: clothing, intermediate and capital goods
Imports - Singapore 24.1%, UAE 15.7%, India 11.3%, Malaysia 7.2%,
partners: Sri Lanka 5.7%, UK 4.5% (2005)
Debt - $304 million (2004 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $27.9 million $NA (2004)
recipient:
Currency rufiyaa (MVR)
(code):
Currency code: MVR
Exchange rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8
rates: (2003), 12.8 (2002), 12.24 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 32,300 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 153,400 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: minimal domestic and international
system: 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 AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 35,000 (1999)
Television 1 (2006)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 10,000 (1999)
Internet .mv
country code:
Internet 1,357 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 19,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 5 (2006)
Airports - total: 2
with paved over 3,047 m: 1
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 3
with unpaved 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006)
runways:
Roadways: total: 88 km
paved roads: 88 km - 60 km in Male; 14 km on Addu
Atolis; 14 km on Laamu
note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006)
Merchant total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 67,149 GRT/87,220
marine: DWT
by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated
cargo 2
registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006)
Ports and Male
terminals:
Military
Military National Security Service: Security Branch (ground
branches: forces), Air Element, Coast Guard
Military 18 years of age (est.) (2004)
service age
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 71,774
available for females age 18-49: 69,229 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 56,687
for military females age 18-49: 54,454 (2005 est.)
service:
Military $45.07 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 5.5% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - none
international:
Refugees and IDPs: 11,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2005)
internally
displaced
persons: