Maldives

Republic of Maldives

republicIndependence 26 July 1965 (from UK)

Maldives as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalMale
Area300 km2
LocationSouth Asia, in the Indian Ocean off the southwest coast of India
1993

Every edition of Maldives

Populationas each edition published it
243,094 people July 1993 est. · 217,945 in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.64% 1993 est. · -0.24% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 17.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
63.86 years 1993 est. · 77.4 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.36 children per woman 1993 est. · 6.6 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
57.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 76 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$620 1991 est. · $23,400 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
4.7% 1991 est. · 5.1% in 2025

Geography

South Asia, in the Indian Ocean off the southwest coast of India

14 fields

Land useshare of 300 km2

arable land 10%permanent crops 0%forest and woodland 3%other 84%meadows and pastures 3% in all
Area
300km2
land area: 300 km2comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
644km
land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 35-310 nm as defined by geographic coordinates; segment of zone coincides with maritime boundary with Indiaterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

South Asia, in the Indian Ocean off the southwest coast of India

Map references

Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

Climate

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

Terrain

flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters

Environment

1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls

Note

archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

People

14 fields
Population
243,094
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 3.64% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
44.34Death
7.91Net migration
0

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years63.86
62.5 · 65.28
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy92%
92% · 92%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
Labor force
66,000
(est.)by occupation: fishing industry 25%

Infant mortality rate

57.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.36 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Maldivian(s)
adjective:
Maldivian

Ethnic divisions

Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African

Religions

Sunni Muslim

Languages

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

Government

Republic

20 fields

Names

conventional long form:
Republic of Maldives
conventional short form:
Maldives

Type

republic

Administrative divisions

19 districts (atolls); Aliff, Baa, Daalu, Faafu, Gaafu Aliff, Gaafu Daalu, Haa Aliff, Haa Daalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Laviyani, Meemu, Naviyani, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Waavu

Independence

26 July 1965 (from UK)

Constitution

4 June 1964

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Political parties and leaders

no organized political parties; country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Elections

President:
last held 23 September 1988 (next to be held September 1993); results - President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected
Citizens' Council:
  • last held on 7 December 1989 (next to be held 7 December 1994);
  • results - percent of vote NA;
  • seats - (48 total, 40 elected)

Executive branch

president, Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral Citizens' Council (Majlis)

Judicial branch

High Court

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978)

Member of

AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

Maldives does not maintain an embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there
consular agency:
Midhath Hilmy, Male
telephone:
2581

Flag

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

Economy

The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and shipping.

18 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$620
(1991 est.)
Real growth rate
4.7%
(1991 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 24.0% (1990); accounts for 6% of GDP
External debt
$90million
(1991)

Overview

The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and shipping. Agriculture is limited to the production of a few subsistence crops that provide only 10% of food requirements. Fishing is the largest industry, employing 25% of the work force and accounting for over 60% of exports; it is also an important source of government revenue.

During the 1980s tourism became one of the most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. In 1988 industry accounted for about 5% of GDP. Real GDP is officially estimated to have increased by about 10% annually during the period 1974-90.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $140 million (1991 est.)

Budget

revenues $52 million (excluding foreign transfers); expenditures $83 million, including capital expenditures of $39 million (1991 est.)

Exports

$53.7 million (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:
fish, clothing
partners:
US, UK, Sri Lanka

Imports

$150.9 million (c.i.f., 1991)

commodities:
consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
partners:
Singapore, Germany, Sri Lanka, India

Electricity

5,000 kW capacity; 11 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, some coconut processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope), handicrafts

Agriculture

  • accounts for almost 25% of GDP (including fishing);
  • fishing more important than farming;
  • limited production of coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes;
  • most staple foods must be imported;
  • fish catch of 67,000 tons (1990 est.)

Economic aid

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $28 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $125 million;
  • OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $14 million

Currency

1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laaris

Exchange rates

rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 10.506 (January 1993), 10.569 (1992), 10.253 (1991), 9.509 (1990), 9.0408 (1989), 8.7846 (1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

5 fields

Merchant marine, 14 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 12container 1oil tanker 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 38,848 GRT/58,496 DWT

Highways

Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city

Ports

Male, Gan

Airports

total:
2
useable:
2 with permanent-surface runways: 2
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
0

Telecommunications

  • minimal domestic and international facilities;
  • 2,804 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV;
  • 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

National Security Service (paramilitary police force)

3 fields

Branches

National Security Service (paramilitary police force)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 53,730; fit for military service 30,014 (1993 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

Central Intelligence Agency. “Maldives.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/maldives/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →