Maldives

§1. Maldives Introduction

Background:
  The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British
  protection. It became a republic in 1968, three years after independence.
  Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM - currently in his sixth term in
  office - has dominated the islands' political scene. Following riots in the
  capital Male in August 2004, the president and his government have pledged
  to embark upon democratic reforms, including a more representative
  political system and expanded political freedoms. Tourism and fishing are
  being developed on the archipelago.

§2. Maldives Geography

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

Geographic coordinates:
  3 15 N, 73 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 300 km²
  land: 300 km²
  water: 0 km²

Area - comparative:
  about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  644 km

Maritime claims:
  measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

Terrain:
  flat, with white sandy beaches

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m

Natural resources:
  fish

Land use:
  arable land: 13.33%
  permanent crops: 30%
  other: 56.67% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  NA km²

Natural hazards:
  low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise

Environment - current issues:
  depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming
  and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
    Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80
  islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic location astride
  and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

§3. Maldives People

Population:
  359,008 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.4% (male 80,113/female 75,763)
  15-64 years: 53.5% (male 98,040/female 94,029)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,477/female 5,586) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.9 years
  male: 17.8 years
  female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.78% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  34.81 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  7.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 54.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 54.01 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 55.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.41 years
  male: 63.08 years
  female: 65.8 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Maldivian(s)
  adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups:
  South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim

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

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.2%
  male: 97.1%
  female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

§4. Maldives Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
  conventional short form: Maldives
  local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
  local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Male

Administrative divisions:
  19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and the capital city*; Alifu, Baa,
  Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu,
  Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale* (Male), Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu,
  Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu

Independence:
  26 July 1965 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution:
  adopted 1 January 1998

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in
  commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978);
    note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November
    1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
    government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination must
    be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval margin is
    required); president elected for a five-year term; election last held 17
    October 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
  election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in referendum
    held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM
    90.3%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by popular
  vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
  election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 50

Judicial branch:
  High Court

Political parties and leaders:
  political parties were allowed to register in June 2005; the first entrants
    are: Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Abdul Majeed Abdul BARI]; Dhivehi
    Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's Party) or DRP [Maumoon Abdul
    GAYOOM]; Islamic Democratic Party or IDP [Omar NASEER]; Maldivian
    Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  various unregistered political parties

International organization participation:
  AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF
  chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195
  FAX: [1] (212) 661-6405

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka
  is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there

Flag description:
  red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white
  crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag

§5. Maldives Economy

Economy - overview:
  Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and more than
  60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax
  revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Fishing is a
  second leading sector. The Maldivian Government began an economic reform
  program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports
  to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to
  allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to
  play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability
  of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods
  must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production,
  boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian
  authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming
  on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea
  level. In late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead,
  12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million. Over the past
  decade, real GDP growth averaged over 7.5% per year. As a result of the
  tsunami, the GDP contracted by about 5.5% in 2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.25 billion (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  -5.5% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $3,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 18%
  services: 62% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  88,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  NEGL% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.6% (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $265 million (excluding foreign grants)
  expenditures: $362 million; including capital expenditures of $80 million
    (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  -0.9% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  135 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  125.6 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Exports:
  $123 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  fish, clothing

Exports - partners:
  US 26.5%, Thailand 23.5%, Sri Lanka 12.3%, Japan 11.7%, UK 9.8%, Germany
  4.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $567 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, intermediate and
  capital goods

Imports - partners:
  Singapore 24.9%, Sri Lanka 10.6%, UAE 10.3%, India 10.2%, Malaysia 7.6%,
  Bahrain 5.4% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $316 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA (2004)

Currency (code):
  rufiyaa (MVR)

Exchange rates:
  rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002),
  12.24 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Maldives Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  31,500 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  113,200 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities
  domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited
    islands are connected with telephone and fax service
  international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat
    (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mv

Internet hosts:
  1,343 (2005)

Internet users:
  19,000 (2005)

§7. Maldives Transportation

Airports:
  5 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2005)

Merchant marine:
  total: 16 ships (1000 GRT or over) 66,804 GRT/84,615 DWT
  by type: cargo 12, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated
    cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Male

§8. Maldives Military

Military branches:
  National Security Service includes Security Branch (ground forces), Air
  Element, Coast Guard

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 71,774 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 56,687 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $45.07 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  5.5% (2005 est.)

§9. Maldives Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 11,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2005)


<Factbook 2006>
