![[Country map of Maldives]](mv.gif)
Location: Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Map references: Asia
Area:
total area: 300 sq km
land area: 300 sq km
comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 644 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 35-310 nm as defined by geographic coordinates; segment of zone coincides
with maritime boundary with India
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Terrain: flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters
Natural resources: fish
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 3%
forest and woodland: 3%
other: 84%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies
natural hazards: low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
Protection; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Note: 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls; archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
Population: 261,310 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 47% (female 60,038; male 63,042)
15-64 years: 50% (female 63,526; male 67,020)
65 years and over: 3% (female 3,537; male 4,147) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.58% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 42.8 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 50 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 65.49 years
male: 63.99 years
female: 67.07 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.17 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian
Ethnic divisions: Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African
Religions: Sunni Muslim
Languages: Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
total population: 91%
male: 91%
female: 92%
Labor force: 66,000 (est.)
by occupation: fishing industry 25%
Names:
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives
Digraph: MV
Type: republic
Capital: Male
Administrative divisions: 19 districts (atolls); Aliff, Baa, Daalu, Faafu, Gaafu Aliff, Gaafu Daalu, Haa Aliff, Haa Daalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Laviyani, Meemu, Naviyani, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Waavu
Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Constitution: 4 June 1968
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 and head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); election last
held 1 October 1993 (next to be held 1998); results - President Maumoon Abdul
GAYOOM was reelected with 92.76% of the vote
cabinet: Ministry of Atolls; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
Citizens' Council (Majlis): elections last held 2 December 1994 (next to be held NA December 1999);
results - percent of vote NA; seats - (48 total, 40 elected, 8 appointed
by the president) independents 40
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leaders: although political parties are not banned, none exist; country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries
Member of: AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US: Maldives has no embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York; Permanent Representative to the UN Ahmed ZAKI
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes
periodic visits there
consular agency: Midhath Hilmy, Male
telephone: 322581
Flag: 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
Overview: Fishing is the largest industry, employing 25% of the work force and accounting for over 60% of exports. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. During the 1980s tourism became one of the most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. In 1993, tourism accounted for 17% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. The Maldivian government initiated 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 minor role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivatable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. In 1993, industry which consisted mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts accounted for about 6% of GDP.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $360 million (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate: 5.4% (1993 est.)
National product per capita: $1,500 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 20% (1993)
Unemployment rate: NEGL%
Budget:
revenues: $95 million (excluding foreign transfers)
expenditures: $143 million, including capital expenditures of $71 million (1993 est.)
Exports: $38.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities: fish, clothing
partners: US, UK, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Germany
Imports: $177.8 million (c.i.f., 1993)
commodities: consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
partners: Singapore, Germany, Sri Lanka, India, Japan
External debt: $130 million (1993 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 24% (1990); accounts for 6% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity: 5,000 kW
production: 30 million kWh
consumption per capita: 123 kWh (1993)
Industries: fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, some coconut processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope), handicrafts
Agriculture: fishing, coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes
Economic aid:
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $28 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $125 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $14 million
Currency: 1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laari
Exchange rates: rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 11.770 (January 1995), 11.586 (1994), 10.957 (1993), 10.569 (1992), 10.253 (1991), 9.509 (1990)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Railroads: 0 km
Highways:
total: NA
paved: NA
unpaved: NA (Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city)
Ports: Gan, Male
Merchant marine:
total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 50,384 GRT/77,771 DWT
ships by type: cargo 14, container 1, oil tanker 1
Airports:
total: 2
with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1
with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
Telephone system: 2,804 telephones; minimal domestic and international facilities
local: NA
intercity: NA
international: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station
Radio:
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
radios: NA
Television:
broadcast stations: 1
televisions: NA
Branches: National Security Service (paramilitary police force)
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 57,172; males fit for military service 31,911 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: $NA, NA% of GDP