2019 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 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 weakened democratic institutions, curtailed civil liberties, jailed his political opponents, restricted the press, and exerted control over the judiciary to strengthen his hold on power and limit dissent. In September 2018, YAMEEN lost his reelection bid to Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH, a parliamentarian of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who had the support of a coalition of four parties that came together to defeat YAMEEN and restore democratic norms to Maldives. In April 2019, SOLIH's MDP won 65 of 87 seats in parliament.

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

Highest Point

8th tee, golf course, Villingi Island 5 m

Lowest Point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Mean Elevation

2 m

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

Agricultural Land

23.3% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

10% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

10% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

3.3% (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

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

17.7% (2009)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

34.7% (2009)

Current Health Expenditure

10.6% (2016)

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 Rural

97.9% of population

Improved Total

98.6% of population

Improved Urban

99.5% of population

Unimproved Rural

2.1% of population

Unimproved Total

1.4% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0.5% of population

Education Expenditures

4.1% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic Groups

homogeneous mixture of Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, Australasian, and African resulting from historical changes in regional hegemony over marine trade routes

Hospital Bed Density

4.3 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

18.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

23.6 deaths/1,000 live births

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

Male

73.7 years

Total Population

76 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

98.8% (2015)

Male

99.8%

Total Population

99.3%

Major Urban Areas Population

177,000 MALE (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

53 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

28.8 years

Male

28.4 years

Total

28.6 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

24.5 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Maldivian

Noun

Maldivian(s)

Net Migration Rate

-12.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

8.6% (2016)

Physicians Density

1.04 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

392,473 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

-0.06% (2018 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim (official)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

98.3% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

97.9% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

97.5% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

1.7% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

2.1% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

2.5% of population (2015 est.)

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.04 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.33 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

1.26 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.95 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.84 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total Population

1.18 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.72 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

12.1% (2016 est.)

Male

19.1%

Total

15.9%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

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

Urban Population

40.2% of total population (2019)

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

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

the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives, Alaina TEPLITZ (since 1 November 2018), is accredited to both countries

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

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

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador THILMEEZA Hussain (since 8 July 2019)

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 17 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 4-6 justices; note - 3 justices as of late 2019)

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 (sharia) legal system with English common law influences, primarily in commercial matters

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral Parliament or People's Majlis (87 seats - includes 2 seats added by the Elections Commission in late 2018; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)

Election Results

percent of vote - MDP 44.7%, JP 10.8%, PPM 8.7%, PNC 6.4%, MDA 2.8%, other 5.6%, independent 21%; seats by party - MDP 65, JP 5, PPM 5, PNC 3, MDA 2, independent 7; composition - men 83, women 4, percent of women 4.6%

Elections

last held on 6 April 2019 (next to be held in 2023)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Mohamed Jameel DIDI/Wannakuwattawaduge DON AMARADEVA

Name

"Gaumee Salaam" (National Salute)

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 [Mohamed NASHEED] Maldives Labor and Social Democratic Party or MLSDP [Ahmed SHIHAM] Maldives Third Way Democrats or MTD [Ahmed ADEEB] Maldives Reform Movement or MRM [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM] People's National Congress or PNC [Abdul Raheem ABDULLA] (formed in early 2019) Progressive Party of Maldives or PPM [Abdulla YAMEEN] Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP [Qasim IBRAHIM] (2019)

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

30 September 2016

7%

30 September 2017

7%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2011

10.2%

31 December 2012

10.5%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$1.033 billion

2017

-$876 million

Debt External

31 December 2015

$696.2 million

31 December 2016

$848.8 million

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

2004

37.4

2009

38.4

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

2016

15.35

2017

15.42

Currency

rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar -

Exports

2015

$239.8 million

2016

$256.2 million

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.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$18,100

2016

$18,600

2017

$19,200

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$6.3 billion

2016

$6.583 billion

2017

$6.901 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

2.2%

2016

4.5%

2017

4.8%

Gross National Saving

2015

12.6% of GDP

2016

-4.5% of GDP

2017

0.5% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

33.3% (FY09/10)

Lowest 10

1.2%

Imports

2015

$1.896 billion

2016

$2.125 billion

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

2016

0.8%

2017

2.3%

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

31 December 2011

$555 million

Population Below Poverty Line

15% (2009 est.)

Public Debt

2016

61.7% of GDP

2017

63.9% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2015

$575.8 million

31 December 2016

$477.9 million

Stock Of Broad Money

31 October 2016

$2.043 billion

31 October 2017

$1.982 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

31 December 2015

$307.7 million

31 December 2016

$448 million

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

31 December 2013

$256 million

31 December 2015

$324 million

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2011

$1.601 billion

31 December 2012

$1.559 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 October 2016

$865.9 million

31 October 2017

$908.6 million

Taxes And Other Revenues

26.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

3.2%

2017

2.9%

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 (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

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

Broadcast Media

state-owned radio and TV monopoly until recently; 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned TV stations and 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned radio stations (2019)

Internet Country Code

.mv

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

59.1% (July 2016 est.)

Total

232,210

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line is at 5 per 100 persons and high mobile-cellular subscriptions stands at 229 per 100 persons (2018)

General Assessment

all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service; two mobile operators extend LTE coverage; tourism has strengthened the telecom market with investment; the unusually high mobile penetration rate is also helped by tourism; Internet bandwidth increased 37% in 2016; mobile penetration passes 250% (2018)

International

country code - 960; landing points for Dhiraagu Cable Network, NaSCOM, Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Networks and WARF submarine cables providing connections to 8 points in Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka; satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

5 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

20,377

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

229 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

900,120

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, general cargo 27, oil tanker 15, other 24 (2018)

Total

67

National Air Transport System

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

15 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

3 (2015)

Ports And Terminals

Male

Roadways

Paved

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

Total

93 km (2018)

Military And Security Forces

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 (2015)

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

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)