1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 300 sq km land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area--comparative
about 1.7 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
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m
Environment--current issues
depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geographic coordinates
3 15 N, 73 00 E
Geography--note
1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls; archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 3% other: 84% (1993 est.)
Location
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Map references
Asia
Maritime claims
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
Natural resources
fish
Terrain
flat, with white sandy beaches
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 47% (male 72,414; female 68,764) 15-64 years: 50% (male 76,446; female 73,275) 65 years and over: 3% (male 4,944; female 4,377) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
39.3 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
5.63 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African
Infant mortality rate
38.14 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Maldivian Divehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 68.29 years male: 66.53 years female: 70.15 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.2% male: 93.3% female: 93% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
300,220 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
3.37% (1999 est.)
Religions
Sunni Muslim
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
5.73 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Male
Constitution
4 June 1968
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
Data code
MV
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: Ministry of Atolls appointed by the president; note--need not be members of Majlis elections: president elected by secret ballot of the Majlis for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 1993 (next to be held NA October 1998) election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected; percent of Majlis vote--Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 92.76%
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
Government type
republic
Independence
26 July 1965 (from UK)
International organization participation
AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York 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
Judicial branch
High Court Political parties and leaders: although political parties are not banned, none exist
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 or Majlis (48 seats; 40 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 2 December 1994 (next to be held NA December 1999) election results: percent of vote--NA; seats--independents 40
National holiday
Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Budget
revenues: $88 million (excluding foreign grants) expenditures: $141 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Currency
1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laari
Debt--external
$179 million (1996 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$NA
Economy--overview
Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for about 18% 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. About 350,000 tourists visited the islands in 1997. Fishing is a second leading growth 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 minor 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 15% 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.
Electricity--consumption
60 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
60 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1--11.770 (1995-January 1999), 11.586 (1994), 10.957 (1993)
Exports
$59 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Exports--commodities
fish, clothing
Exports--partners
Sri Lanka, US, Germany, Singapore, UK
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$500 million (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 22% industry: 15% services: 63% (1994 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,840 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
5.8% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$302 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Imports--commodities
consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
Imports--partners
Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand
Industrial production growth rate
6.3% (1994 est.)
Industries
fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6.3% (1996)
Labor force
56,435 (1990 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
fishing industry and agriculture 25%, services 21%, manufacturing and construction 21%, trade, restaurants, and hotels 16%, transportation and communication 10%, other 7%
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
NEGL%
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
Radios
28,284 (1992 est.)
Telephone system
minimal domestic and international facilities domestic: inter-atoll communication primarily through HF transceivers and VHF/UHF telephones international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones
8,523 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations
1 (1997)
Televisions
7,309 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Airports
5 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km; note--Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city (1988 est.) Ports and harbors: Gan, Male
Merchant marine
total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 75,585 GRT/115,590 DWT ships by type: cargo 18, container 1, oil tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1 (1998 est.)
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military branches
National Security Service (paramilitary police force)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
NA%
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 66,554 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 37,086 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none