1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 300 km2 land area: 300 km2 comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Coastline
644 km
Environment
1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 3% other: 84%
Location
South Asia, in the Indian Ocean off the southwest coast of India
Map references
Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
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
Natural resources
fish
Note
archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
Terrain
flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters
People and Society
Birth rate
44.34 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
7.91 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African
Infant mortality rate
57.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
66,000 (est.) by occupation: fishing industry 25%
Languages
Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 63.86 years male: 62.5 years female: 65.28 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1985) total population: 92% male: 92% female: 92%
Nationality
noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
243,094 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
3.64% (1993 est.)
Religions
Sunni Muslim
Total fertility rate
6.36 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Male
Chief of State and Head of Government
President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978)
Citizens' Council
last held on 7 December 1989 (next to be held 7 December 1994); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (48 total, 40 elected)
Constitution
4 June 1964
Digraph
MV
Diplomatic representation in US
Maldives does not maintain an embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York
Executive branch
president, Cabinet
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
Independence
26 July 1965 (from UK)
Judicial branch
High Court
Legal system
based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral Citizens' Council (Majlis)
Member of
AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives
National holiday
Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Political parties and leaders
no organized political parties; country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries
President
last held 23 September 1988 (next to be held September 1993); results - President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Type
republic
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
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for almost 25% of GDP (including fishing); fishing more important than farming; limited production of coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; most staple foods must be imported; fish catch of 67,000 tons (1990 est.)
Budget
revenues $52 million (excluding foreign transfers); expenditures $83 million, including capital expenditures of $39 million (1991 est.)
Currency
1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laaris
Economic aid
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
Electricity
5,000 kW capacity; 11 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 10.506 (January 1993), 10.569 (1992), 10.253 (1991), 9.509 (1990), 9.0408 (1989), 8.7846 (1988)
Exports
$53.7 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: fish, clothing partners: US, UK, Sri Lanka
External debt
$90 million (1991)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$150.9 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products partners: Singapore, Germany, Sri Lanka, India
Industrial production
growth rate 24.0% (1990); accounts for 6% of GDP
Industries
fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, some coconut processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope), handicrafts
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
11.5% (1991 est.)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $140 million (1991 est.)
National product per capita
$620 (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate
4.7% (1991 est.)
Overview
The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and shipping. Agriculture is limited to the production of a few subsistence crops that provide only 10% of food requirements. Fishing is the largest industry, employing 25% of the work force and accounting for over 60% of exports; it is also an important source of government revenue. During the 1980s tourism became one of the most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. In 1988 industry accounted for about 5% of GDP. Real GDP is officially estimated to have increased by about 10% annually during the period 1974-90.
Unemployment rate
NEGL%
Communications
Airports
total: 2 useable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
Highways
Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city
Merchant marine
14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 38,848 GRT/58,496 DWT; includes 12 cargo, 1 container, 1 oil tanker
Ports
Male, Gan
Telecommunications
minimal domestic and international facilities; 2,804 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
National Security Service (paramilitary police force)
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 53,730; fit for military service 30,014 (1993 est.)