2018 Edition

Background

A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887. The islands became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated Maldives' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following political demonstrations in the capital Male in August 2003, GAYOOM and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Political parties were legalized in 2005.In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" - finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM in August 2008. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the GAYOOM regime. In early February 2012, after several weeks of street protests in response to his ordering the arrest of a top judge, NASHEED purportedly resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. A government-appointed Commission of National Inquiry concluded there was no evidence of a coup, but recommended strengthening the country's democratic institutions to avert similar events in the future. NASHEED contends that police and military personnel forced him to resign. NASHEED, WAHEED, and Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ran in the 2013 elections with YAMEEN ultimately winning the presidency after three rounds of voting. As president, YAMEEN has sought to weaken democratic institutions, curtail civil liberties, jail his political opponents, restrict the press, and exert control over the judiciary to strengthen his hold on power and limit dissent. In February 2018, he declared successive states of emergency in response to a supreme court order to release political prisoners and allow members of parliament who switch parties to retain their seats. Maldivian officials have played a prominent role in international climate change discussions (due to the islands' vulnerability to rising sea-level), though in practice, the YAMEEN government has destroyed mangroves, coral beds, and other natural habitats to make way for development projects.

Area

land

298 sq km

total

298 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

elevation extremes

0 m lowest point: Indian Ocean

mean elevation

1.8 m

note

5 highest point: 8th tee, golf course, Villingi Island

Environment Current Issues

depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; inadequate sewage treatment; coral reef bleaching

Environment International Agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geographic Coordinates

3 15 N, 73 00 E

Geography Note

smallest Asian country; archipelago of 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

Irrigated Land

0 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

arable land: 10% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 10% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 3.3% (2011 est.)

agricultural land

23.3% (2011 est.)

forest

3% (2011 est.)

other

73.7% (2011 est.)

Location

Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India

Map References

Asia

Maritime Claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

note

measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural Hazards

tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise

Natural Resources

fish

Population Distribution

about a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City; the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago

Terrain

flat, with white sandy beaches

Age Structure

0-14 years

21.62% (male 43,293 /female 41,563)

15-24 years

19.15% (male 42,849 /female 32,326)

25-54 years

48.47% (male 106,083 /female 84,160)

55-64 years

6.22% (male 11,888 /female 12,540)

65 years and over

4.53% (male 8,101 /female 9,670) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

16.1 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

17.8% (2009)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

34.7% (2009)

Death Rate

4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.7 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

17.7 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

38 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

32.3 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 99.5% of population

rural: 97.9% of population

total: 98.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.5% of population

rural: 2.1% of population

total: 1.4% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

4.3% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic Groups

South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Health Expenditures

13.7% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

NA

Hiv Aids Deaths

NA

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

NA

Hospital Bed Density

4.3 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

18.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

23.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

21.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

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

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

78.5 years (2018 est.)

male

73.7 years (2018 est.)

total population

76 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

98.8% (2015 est.)

male

99.8% (2015 est.)

total population

99.3% (2015 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

177,000 MALE (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

68 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

28.8 years (2018 est.)

male

28.4 years

total

28.6 years

Mother S Mean Age At First Birth

23.9 years (2009 est.)

note

median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

adjective

Maldivian

noun

Maldivian(s)

Net Migration Rate

-12.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

8.6% (2016)

Physicians Density

3.61 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

392,473 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

-0.06% (2018 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim (official)

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 97.5% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 98.3% of population (2015 est.)

total: 97.9% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 2.5% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 1.7% of population (2015 est.)

total: 2.1% of population (2015 est.)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.37 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

1.34 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.89 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

1.23 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.72 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

12.3% (2014 est.)

male

12.5% (2014 est.)

total

12.4% (2014 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.93% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

39.8% of total population (2018)

Administrative Divisions

21 administrative atolls (atholhuthah, singular - atholhu); Addu (Addu City), Ariatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Ari Atoll), Ariatholhu Uthuruburi (North Ari Atoll), Faadhippolhu, Felidhuatholhu (Felidhu Atoll), Fuvammulah, Hahdhunmathi, Huvadhuatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Huvadhu Atoll), Huvadhuatholhu Uthuruburi (North Huvadhu Atoll), Kolhumadulu, Maale (Male), Maaleatholhu (Male Atoll), Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Maalhosmadulu), Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi (North Maalhosmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Miladhunmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Uthuruburi (North Miladhunmadulu), Mulakatholhu (Mulaku Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Nilandhe Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Uthuruburi (North Nilandhe Atoll), Thiladhunmathee Dhekunuburi (South Thiladhunmathi), Thiladhunmathee Uthuruburi (North Thiladhunmathi)

Capital

geographic coordinates

4 10 N, 73 30 E

name

Male

time difference

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Maldives

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

unknown

Constitution

amendments

proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote by its membership and the signature of the president of the republic; passage of amendments to constitutional articles on rights and freedoms and the terms of office of Parliament and of the president also requires a majority vote in a referendum; amended 2015 (2018)

history

many previous; latest ratified 7 August 2008 (2018)

Country Name

conventional long form

Republic of Maldives

conventional short form

Maldives

etymology

archipelago apparently named after the main island (and capital) of Male; the word "Maldives" means "the islands (dives) of Male"; alternatively, the name may derive from the Sanskrit word "maladvipa" meaning "garland of islands"; Dhivehi Raajje in Dhivehi means "Kingdom of the Dhivehi people"

local long form

Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

local short form

Dhivehi Raajje

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

note

the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Atul KESHAP (since 21 August 2015), is accredited to Maldives

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

chancery

801 Second Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017

chief of mission

Ambassador Ali NASEER Mohamed (since 21 July 2017)

FAX

[1] (212) 661-6405

telephone

[1] (212) 599-6194 and 599-6195

Executive Branch

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by Parliament

chief of state

President Ibrahim "Ibu" Mohamed SOLIH (since 17 November 2018); Vice President Faisal NASEEM (since 17 November 2018); the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH elected president (in 1 round); Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 58.3%, Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom (PPM) 41.7%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

head of government

President Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (since 19 November 2018); Vice President Faisal NASEEM (since 17 November 2018)

Flag Description

red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent moon; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag; red recalls those who have sacrificed their lives in defense of their country, the green rectangle represents peace and prosperity, and the white crescent signifies Islam

Government Type

presidential republic

Independence

26 July 1965 (from the UK)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 4 judges); note - only 4 justices as of February 2018; the chief justice and one justice were arrested and imprisoned in early February 2018 following President YAMEEN’s declaration of a state of emergency

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges appointed by the president in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission - a 10-member body of selected high government officials and the public - and upon confirmation by voting members of the People's Majlis; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 70

subordinate courts

High Court; Criminal, Civil, Family, Juvenile, and Drug Courts; Magistrate Courts (on each of the inhabited islands)

Legal System

Islamic religious legal system with English common law influences, primarily in commercial matters

Legislative Branch

description

unicameral Parliament or People's Majlis (85 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote - MDP 40.8%, PPM 27.7%, JP 13.6%, MDA 4%, AP 2.7% other 0.3%, independent 10.9%; seats by party - PPM 33, MDP 26, JP 15, MDA 5, AP 1, independent 5; composition - men 80, women 5, percent of women 5.9%

elections

last held on 22 March 2014 (next to be held in 2019)

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Mohamed Jameel DIDI/Wannakuwattawaduge DON AMARADEVA

name

"Gaumee Salaam" (National Salute)

note

lyrics adopted 1948, music adopted 1972; between 1948 and 1972, the lyrics were sung to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne"

National Holiday

Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

National Symbol S

coconut palm, yellowfin tuna; national colors: red, green, white

Political Parties And Leaders

Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Sheikh Imran ABDULLA]Maldives Development Alliance or MDA [Ahmed Shiyam MOHAMED]Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Hassan LATHEEF, chairperson]Progressive Party of Maldives or PPM [Abdulla YAMEEN]Progressive Party of Maldives or PPM - Gayoom faction [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM]Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP [Qasim IBRAHIM]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Budget

expenditures

1.643 billion (2016 est.)

revenues

1.19 billion (2016 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-10.1% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

7% (30 September 2017)

7% (30 September 2016)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

10.5% (31 December 2012 est.)

10.2% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$876 million (2017 est.)

-$1.033 billion (2016 est.)

Debt External

$848.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$696.2 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

38.4 (2009 est.)

37.4 (2004 est.)

Economy Overview

Maldives has quickly become a middle-income country, driven by the rapid growth of its tourism and fisheries sectors, but the country still contends with a large and growing fiscal deficit. Infrastructure projects, largely funded by China, could add significantly to debt levels. Political turmoil and the declaration of a state of emergency in February 2018 led to the issuance of travel warnings by several countries whose citizens visit Maldives in significant numbers, but the overall impact on tourism revenue was unclear.In 2015, Maldives’ Parliament passed a constitutional amendment legalizing foreign ownership of land; foreign land-buyers must reclaim at least 70% of the desired land from the ocean and invest at least $1 billion in a construction project approved by Parliament.Diversifying the economy beyond tourism and fishing, reforming public finance, increasing employment opportunities, and combating corruption, cronyism, and a growing drug problem are near-term challenges facing the government. Over the longer term, Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is 1 meter or less above sea level.

Exchange Rates

rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar -

15.42 (2017 est.)

15.35 (2016 est.)

Exports

$256.2 million (2016 est.)

$239.8 million (2015 est.)

Exports Commodities

fish

Exports Partners

Thailand 42.8%, Sri Lanka 8.7%, Bangladesh 6.4%, France 6.2%, US 6.1%, Germany 5%, Ireland 4.6% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

93.6% (2016 est.)

government consumption

NA (2016 est.)

household consumption

NA (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services

89% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

NA (2016 est.)

investment in inventories

NA (2016 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

3% (2015 est.)

industry

16% (2015 est.)

services

81% (2015 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$4.505 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$19,200 (2017 est.)

$18,600 (2016 est.)

$18,100 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$6.901 billion (2017 est.)

$6.583 billion (2016 est.)

$6.3 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Real Growth Rate

4.8% (2017 est.)

4.5% (2016 est.)

2.2% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

0.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

-4.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

12.6% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

33.3% (FY09/10)

lowest 10%

33.3% (FY09/10)

Imports

$2.125 billion (2016 est.)

$1.896 billion (2015 est.)

Imports Commodities

petroleum products, clothing, intermediate and capital goods

Imports Partners

UAE 17.1%, India 13.5%, Singapore 13.3%, China 10.8%, Sri Lanka 6.7%, Malaysia 6%, Thailand 4.5% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

14% (2012 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2.3% (2017 est.)

0.8% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

222,200 (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

7.7%

industry

22.8%

services

69.5% (2017 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

$555 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Population Below Poverty Line

15% (2009 est.)

Public Debt

63.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

61.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$477.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$575.8 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$1.982 billion (31 October 2017)

$2.043 billion (31 October 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

$448 million (31 December 2016 est.)

$307.7 million (31 December 2015)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$324 million (31 December 2015)

$256 million (31 December 2013)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$1.559 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$1.601 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$908.6 million (31 October 2017 est.)

$865.9 million (31 October 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

26.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2.9% (2017 est.)

3.2% (2016 est.)

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

1.648 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - total population

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

373.9 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

96% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

4% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

278,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

402 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

11,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

10,840 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

9 (2017 est.)

total

36,001 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

state-owned radio and TV monopoly until recently; 1 state-operated and 7 privately owned TV stations and 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned radio stations (2018)

Internet Country Code

.mv

Internet Users

percent of population

59.1% (July 2016 est.)

total

232,210 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

each island now has at least 1 public telephone, and there are mobile-cellular networks with a rapidly expanding subscribership that has reached over 200 per 100 persons (2016)

general assessment

telephone services have improved; inter-atoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service (2016)

international

country code - 960; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2016)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

20,377 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

229 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

900,120 (2017 est.)

Airports

9 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

1 (2017)

914 to 1,523 m

4 (2017)

over 3,047 m

1 (2017)

total

7 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

914 to 1,523 m

2 (2013)

total

2 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

8Q (2016)

Merchant Marine

by type

bulk carrier 1, container ship 1, general cargo 27, oil tanker 14, other 23 (2017)

total

66 (2017)

National Air Transport System

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

15 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

3 (2015)

Ports And Terminals

major seaport(s)

Male

Roadways

note

island roads are mainly compacted coral

paved

93 km - 60 km in Male; 16 km on Addu Atolis; 17 km on Laamu (2018)

total

93 km (2018)

Military Branches

Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Marine Corps, Special Protection Group, Coast Guard (2018)

Military Note

Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), with its small size and with little serviceable equipment, is inadequate to prevent external aggression and is primarily tasked to reinforce Maldives Police Service (MPS) and ensure security in the exclusive economic zone (2008)

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-28 years of age for voluntary service; no conscription; 10th grade or equivalent education required; must not be a member of a political party (2012)

Disputes International

none

Trafficking In Persons

current situation

Maldives is a destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and a source country for women and children subjected to labor and sex trafficking; primarily Bangladeshi and Indian migrants working both legally and illegally in the construction and service sectors face conditions of forced labor, including fraudulent recruitment, confiscation of identity and travel documents, nonpayment and withholding of wages, and debt bondage; a small number of women from Asia, Eastern Europe, and former Soviet states are trafficked to Maldives for sexual exploitation; Maldivian women may be subjected to sex trafficking domestically or in Sri Lanka; some Maldivian children are transported to the capital for domestic service, where they may also be victims of sexual abuse and forced labor

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List – Maldives does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government adopted a national action plan for 2015-19 and is continuing to develop victim identification, protection, and referral procedures, but overall its anti-trafficking efforts did not increase; only five trafficking investigations were conducted, no new prosecutions were initiated for the second consecutive year, and no convictions were made, down from one in 2013; some officials warned businesses in advance of planned raids for suspected trafficking offenses; victim protection deteriorated when the state-run shelter for female victims barred access to victims shortly after opening in January 2014, in part because of bureaucratic disputes, which dissuaded victims from pursuing charges against perpetrators; the government did not prosecute or hold accountable any employers or government officials for withholding passports (2015)