2000 Edition

Background

The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.

Area

land

300 sq km

total

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

highest point

unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

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, 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 (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); 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%

forests and woodland

3%

other

84% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

3%

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 46% (male 71,273; female 67,323) 15-64 years: 51% (male 78,598; female 75,331) 65 years and over: 3% (male 4,666; female 4,284) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

38.96 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

8.32 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Infant mortality rate

65.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials

Life expectancy at birth

female

63.4 years (2000 est.)

male

61.05 years

total population

62.2 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

93% (1995 est.)

male

93.3%

total population

93.2%

Nationality

adjective

Maldivian

noun

Maldivian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

301,475 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

3.06% (2000 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim

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: 1.09 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.62 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

adopted January 1998

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

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

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

Executive branch

cabinet

appointed by the president; note - need not be members of Majlis

chief of state

President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.9%

elections

president nominated by the Majlis and then that 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 16 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003)

head of government

President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

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

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 People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 42

elections

last held 20 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2004)

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Political parties and leaders

although political parties are not banned, none exist

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Budget

expenditures

$192 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (1999 est.)

revenues

$166 million (excluding foreign grants)

Currency

1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laari

Debt - external

$188 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

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. Almost 400,000 tourists visited the islands in 1998. 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 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 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.

Electricity - consumption

79 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

85 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 11.770 (fixed rate since 1995)

Exports

$98 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities

fish, clothing

Exports - partners

US, UK, Sri Lanka, Japan

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $540 million (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

20%

industry

18%

services

62% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,800 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$312 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports - commodities

consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners

Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Canada

Industrial production growth rate

4.4% (1996 est.)

Industries

fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (1999 est.)

Labor force

67,000 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NEGL%

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

35,000 (1999)

Telephone system

minimal domestic and international facilities

domestic

interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service

international

satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

21,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular

300 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

10,000 (1999)

Airports

5 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

NA km

total

NA km

unpaved

NA km; note - Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city (1988 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 17, container 1, petroleum tanker 1, short-sea passenger 1 (1999 est.)

total

20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 69,599 GRT/105,599 DWT

Ports and harbors

Gan, Male

Railways

0 km

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: 68,940 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 38,402 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none

MALI