2020 Edition

Background

A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887 and 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. After political demonstrations in the capital Male in 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 2008, a constituent assembly -- termed the "Special Majlis" -- finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held later that year. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist whom the regime had jailed several years earlier. In 2012, after several weeks of street protests in response to a top judge's arrest, NASHEED resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. A government-appointed Commission of National Inquiry concluded that there was no evidence of a coup, but NASHEED contended 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. In 2018, YAMEEN lost his reelection bid to parliamentarian Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH. YAMEEN was arrested and jailed in 2022 on corruption charges. Maldives' fourth democratic election was held in September 2023. The winner, Male City Mayor Dr. Mohamed MUIZZU, campaigned on a platform of Maldivian sovereignty, vowing to remove Indian military personnel from the country. MUIZZU represents a joint Progressive Pary of Maldives and People's National Congress (PPM/PNC) coalition.  

Area

land

298 sq km

total

298 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 1.7 times the size of Washington, D.C.

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

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 along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

19.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 13.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.)

forest

12.5% (2023 est.)

other

67.7% (2023 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 coral atolls, with white sandy beaches; sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive Ridge

Age structure

0-14 years

22.4% (male 44,321/female 42,626)

15-64 years

71.5% (male 143,021/female 135,044)

65 years and over

6.1% (2024 est.) (male 10,397/female 13,449)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

1.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

14.77 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

2.2% (2017)

women married by age 15

0% (2017)

women married by age 18

2.2% (2017)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

14.8% (2017 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

68.4% (2022 est.)

Death rate

4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.6 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

11.7 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

39.8 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

31.3 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

9.6% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.83 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

10% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

18.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

5 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

21.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

27.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

23.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Dhivehi (official, closely related to Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English (spoken by most government officials)

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.9 years

male

75.1 years

total population

77.4 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

98.3% (2019 est.)

male

98.2% (2019 est.)

total population

98.2% (2019 est.)

Major urban areas - population

177,000 MALE (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

32 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

32.4 years

male

31.3 years

total

32.4 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.2 years (2016/17 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Maldivian

noun

Maldivian(s)

Net migration rate

-12.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.6% (2016)

Physician density

2.24 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

female

191,119

male

197,739

total

388,858 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.24% (2025 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim (official)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2022 est.)

male

11 years (2022 est.)

total

13 years (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.77 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

9.2% (2025 est.)

male

41.5% (2025 est.)

total

28% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.7 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

42% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

the name may come from the Sanskrit word mala, or "garland"

geographic coordinates

4 10 N, 73 30 E

name

Malé

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

amendment process

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

history

many previous; latest ratified 7 August 2008

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Maldives

conventional short form

Maldives

etymology

the origin of the name is obscure but may derive from the Sanskrit word maladvipa, meaning "garland of islands;" the local name, Dhivehi Raajje, means "land of the Dhivehi people" in the local language

local long form

Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

local short form

Dhivehi Raajje

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Chunnong SAEGER (since January 2026)

email address and website

Homepage - U.S. Embassy in Maldives

embassy

210 Galle Road, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka; note - as of early November 2023, the US has no consular or diplomatic offices in Maldives; the US Mission to Maldives operates from US Embassy Colombo, Sri Lanka

FAX

[94] (11) 243-7345

telephone

[94] (11) 249-8500

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1100 H Street NW, Suite 250, Washington, D.C. 20005

chief of mission

Ambassador Abdul GHAFOOR Mohamed (since 15 June 2023)

email address and website

WashingtonInfo@foreign.gov.mv The Embassy (mdvmission.gov.mv)

telephone

[1] (202) 516-5458

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by People's Majlis

chief of state

President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023)

election results

2023: Mohamed MUIZZU elected president in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Mohamed MUIZZU (PNC) 46.1%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 39.1%, Ilyas LABEEB (DEMS) 7.1%, other 7.7%; percent of vote in the second round - Mohamed MUIZZU 54%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH 46%

election/appointment process

president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)

expected date of next election

2028

head of government

President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023)

most recent election date

9 September 2023, with runoff on 30 September 2023

Flag

description: red with a large green rectangle in the center and a vertical white crescent moon centered on the rectangle meaning: red stands for those who have sacrificed their lives to defend the country, green for peace and prosperity, and the white crescent is a symbol of 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 court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 justices)

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 senior government officials and the public -- and on 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

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

April 2029

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

People's Majlis (Majlis)

most recent election date

4/21/2024

number of seats

93 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

People's National Congress (PNC) (66); Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) (12); Independents (11); Other (4)

percentage of women in chamber

3.2%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

lyrics adopted 1948, music adopted 1972; the anthem has seven verses, but only the first two are commonly used

lyrics/music

Mohamed Jameel DIDI/Wannakuwattawaduge DON AMARADEVA

title

"Gaumee Salaam" (National Salute)

National color(s)

red, green, white

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

National symbol(s)

coconut palm, yellowfin tuna

Political parties

Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRP Maldives Development Alliance or MDA Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP Maldives Third Way Democrats or MTD People's National Congress or PNC People's National Front Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

fruits, vegetables, nuts, other meats, papayas, bananas, tomatoes, maize, pulses, chillies/peppers (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$1.939 billion (2021 est.)

revenues

$1.407 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$1.042 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$1.4 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$1.257 billion (2024 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$3.113 billion (2023 est.)

Economic overview

upper middle-income Indian Ocean island economy; major tourism, fishing, and shipping industries; high public debt; systemic corruption; crippled by COVID-19; ongoing deflation; poverty has tripled since pandemic began

Exchange rates

Currency

rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

15.381 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

15.373 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

15.387 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

15.387 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

15.389 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$5.096 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$4.88 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$5.413 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

fish, aircraft, refined petroleum, scrap iron, natural gas (2023)

Exports - partners

Thailand 32%, India 21%, Singapore 9%, UK 7%, Germany 5% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

74.4% (2023 est.)

government consumption

17.1% (2023 est.)

household consumption

51.4% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-75.7% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

35% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-2% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

3% (2024 est.)

industry

9% (2024 est.)

services

73.8% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$6.975 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

29.3 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

23.3% (2019 est.)

lowest 10%

3.8% (2019 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$4.939 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$4.984 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$5.344 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, plastic products, aircraft, granite, ships (2023)

Imports - partners

India 15%, UAE 15%, Oman 14%, China 12%, Singapore 8% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-2.7% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

2.3% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.9% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

1.4% (2024 est.)

Labor force

270,300 (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

5.4% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

61.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$11.194 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$11.723 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$12.325 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

13.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

5.1% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$21,400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$22,300 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$23,400 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0.1% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$832.094 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$590.523 million (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$673.886 million (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

19.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

4.5% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

4.3% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

4.7% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

9.5% (2024 est.)

male

20% (2024 est.)

total

16.1% (2024 est.)

Coal

imports

8 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

821.397 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

432,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

25.867 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

6.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

50.886 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

19 (2023 est.)

total

98,000 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

formerly a state-owned radio and TV monopoly; now 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned TV stations; 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.mv

Internet users

percent of population

85% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

13,000 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

137 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

745,000 (2023 est.)

Airports

20 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

8Q

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 30, oil tanker 20, other 32

total

82 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Male

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

1

small

0

total ports

1 (2024)

very small

1

Military - note

the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) is responsible for defending and safeguarding the Maldives' territorial integrity, economic exclusion zone, and people; it is also responsible for disaster relief, and if requested, assisting the Maldives Police Service in maintaining internal security and law and order; maritime security is its largest focus; the Indian Armed Forces have long been the MNDF's most important partner (2025)

Military and security forces

Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Air Corps, Fire and Rescue Service Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology (MOHST): Maldives Police Service (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 3-4,000 active Defense Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Defense Force has a limited inventory consisting of mostly secondhand or donated equipment from suppliers such as Germany, India, Japan, Türkiye, and the UK (2025)

Military expenditures

not available

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary service; no conscription (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

54 (2023 est.)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Maldives remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/maldives/

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

1.908 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

1.908 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

rising sea levels; depletion of freshwater aquifers; inadequate sewage treatment; coral reef bleaching

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Particulate matter emissions

12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

30 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

268,194 cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

300,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

5.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

211,500 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

20.9% (2022 est.)