2023 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. YAMEEN was arrested and jailed in December 2022 on corruption charges; however, he remains his party's candidate to challenge SOLIH in the presidential election, scheduled for 9 September 2023. 

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

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

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

23.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 10% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 3.3% (2018 est.)

forest

3% (2018 est.)

other

73.7% (2018 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 coral atolls, with white sandy beaches; sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive Ridge

Age structure

0-14 years

22.25% (male 44,185/female 42,495)

15-64 years

71.97% (male 146,154/female 134,233)

65 years and over

5.78% (2023 est.) (male 9,866/female 12,635)

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

15.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

2.2% (2017 est.)

women married by age 18

2.2%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

14.8% (2016/17)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

18.8% (2016/17)

Current health expenditure

11.4% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

71.9% (2023 est.)

Death rate

4.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.2

potential support ratio

16.2 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

35.6

youth dependency ratio

29.5

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 99.6% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1% of population

Education expenditures

5.8% of GDP (2020 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 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

4.3 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

21.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

28 deaths/1,000 live births

total

25 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.7 years

male

74.8 years

total population

77.2 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98.4% (2021)

male

97.6%

total population

97.9%

Major urban areas - population

177,000 MALE (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

57 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

31.9 years

male

30.8 years

total

31.3 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.2 years (2016/17 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Maldivian

noun

Maldivian(s)

Net migration rate

-12.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.6% (2016)

Physicians density

2.05 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

389,568 (2023 est.)

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

Population growth rate

-0.17% (2023 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim (official)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 99.1% of population

improved: total

total: 99.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.5% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2019)

male

12 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.09 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.06 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

6% (2020 est.)

male

44.4% (2020 est.)

total

25.2% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.7 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

42% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

12.6%

male

19.9%

total

17.7% (2021 est.)

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

derived from the Sanskrit word "mahaalay" meaning "big house"

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

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Hugo Yue-Ho YON (since 6 September 2023); note - Ambassador YON is the first resident US ambassador to the Republic of 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

801 Second Avenue, Suite 202E, New York, NY 10017

chief of mission

Maldives has no embassy in the US, but its Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Abdul GHAFOOR Mohamed (since 12 December 2022), is accredited to the US and serves as ambassador

email address and website

info@maldivesmission.comhttp://www.maldivesmission.com/

FAX

[1] (212) 661-6405

telephone

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

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by Parliament

chief of state

President Mohamed MUIZZI (sworn in 17 November 2023); Vice President-elect Hussain Mohamed LATHEEF (since 30 September 2023); the president is both chief of state and head of government; inauguration scheduled for 17 November 2023

election results

2023: first round results - Mohamed MUIZZI 46.1%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH 39.1%, Ilyas LEBEEB 7.1%, other 7.7%; Mohamed MUZZI elected president in second round; Mohamed MUZZI (PNC) 54%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 46%2018: Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH elected president in first 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); first round held on 9 September 2023 and runoff held on 30 September 2023 (next to be held in 2028)

head of government

President Mohamed MUIZZI ((sworn in 17 November 2023); Vice President-elect Hussain Mohamed LATHEEF (since 30 September 2023)

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 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 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 April 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Mohamed Jameel DIDI/Wannakuwattawaduge DON AMARADEVA

name

"Gaumee Salaam" (National Salute)

note

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]Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRP [Abdulla JABIR]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]Maumoon/Maldives Reform Movement or MRM [Ahmed Faris MAUMOON]National Democratic Congress [Yousuf MAANIU]People's National Congress or PNC [Abdul Raheem ABDULLA]Progressive Party of Maldives or PPM [Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom, founder]Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP [Qasim IBRAHIM] (2020)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

papayas, vegetables, roots/tubers nes, nuts, fruit, other meat, tomatoes, coconuts, bananas, maize

Budget

expenditures

$1.797 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$993 million (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

CCC (2020)

Moody's rating

B3 (2020)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$1.49 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$1.327 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$457.562 million (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2015

$696.2 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$848.8 million (31 December 2016 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 2017

15.387 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

15.391 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

15.382 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

15.381 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

15.373 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$3.742 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$1.787 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$3.95 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

skipjack and stripe-bellied bonito, fish fillets, propane, tuna, butane, scrap iron (2021)

Exports - partners

Thailand 24%, United States 13%, China 12%, France 11%, Germany 11%, Italy 5%, United Kingdom 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

93.6% (2016 est.)

government consumption

(2016 est.) NA

household consumption

(2016 est.) NA

imports of goods and services

89% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

(2016 est.) NA

investment in inventories

(2016 est.) NA

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.)

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%

33.3% (FY09/10)

lowest 10%

1.2%

Imports

Imports 2019

$4.09 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$2.449 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$3.501 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, fruits, furniture, broadcasting equipment, lumber (2019)

Imports - partners

United Arab Emirates 24%, China 16%, Singapore 14%, India 11%, Malaysia 6%, Thailand 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

4.51% (2021 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) 2019

0.22% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

-1.37% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

0.54% (2021 est.)

Labor force

229,300 (2021 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

7.7%

industry

22.8%

services

69.5% (2017 est.)

Population below poverty line

8.2% (2016 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

61.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

63.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$10.38 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$6.903 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$9.785 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

7.1% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-33.49% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

41.75% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$20,600 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$13,400 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$18,800 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$753,496,300 (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$984,930,700 (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$805,808,200 (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

26.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

5.34% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

6.33% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

6.08% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

12.6%

male

19.9%

total

17.7% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

2.286 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

2.286 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

586.5 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

545,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

21 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

99.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

59.69 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

15,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 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

12 (2020 est.)

total

63,685 (2020 est.)

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

86% (2021 est.)

total

447,200 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is at nearly 3 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular subscriptions stands at nearly 135 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

with its economy so heavily dependent on tourism, the Maldives has suffered heavy economic as well as health casualties during the pandemic; the country had a relatively short period of lock down and was willing to welcome visitors back as early as July 2020; but the effective shutdown of international air travel for most of the year resulted in the bottom falling out of the Maldives’ tourism industry, taking GDP down 32% in the process; the economy fared better in 2021, with a return to growth, yet it may still be a few years before the country’s key industries can return to the same level of prosperity that they previously enjoyed; the country’s high number of tourists and expatriate workers has inflated the penetration rate for mobile services, making it one of the highest in the world; that rate crashed in 2020 as demand for SIM cards (primarily prepaid) dried up; however, the number of contract subscribers increased as locals took advantage of competitive pricing offers from operators; everything now rests on a fast return to normality, with tourists helping to boost the nation’s coffers as well as buying up those prepaid SIM cards; with commercial 5G services already launched and fiber networks rapidly expanding around the country, the Maldives is primed to deliver world-class telecommunications services to its domestic and international customers (2021)

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

3 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

14,005 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

135 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

706,043 (2021 est.)

Airports

9 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

7

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

2

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

8Q

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 30, oil tanker 20, other 30

total

80 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

7.75 million (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

1,147,247 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

36

number of registered air carriers

3 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Male

Roadways

note

note: island roads are mainly compacted coral

paved

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

total

93 km (2018)

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; the MNDF is organized into four area commands and a functional Special Forces command; the head of the MNDF reports to the Minister of Defense (2023)

Military and security forces

Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): the MNDF has combined force structure with seven services divided into Combat and Maneuver Forces (Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Fire and Rescue Service) and Support Services (Service Corps, Defense Intelligence Service, Medical Corps, Adjutant General's Corps); there is also a separate Special Forces command and a Special Protection Service (2023)

note

note: the Maldives Police Service is responsible for internal security and reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 3-4,000 personnel (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

India has provided most of the equipment in the MNDF's inventory (2023)

Military expenditures

not available

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 (2022)

Disputes - international

none identified

Illicit drugs

NA

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

1.44 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.14 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

13 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Environment - current issues

rising sea levels threaten land; 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, 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

Land use

agricultural land

23.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 10% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 3.3% (2018 est.)

forest

3% (2018 est.)

other

73.7% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

300,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

42% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

211,506 tons (2015 est.)