Maldives
Republic of MaldivesDhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
republicIndependence 26 July 1965 (from UK)
Maldives as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 91 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, | south-southwest of India
18 fieldsLand useshare of 300 sq km
Climate
- tropical;
- hot, humid;
- dry, northeast monsoon (November to March);
- rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Environment-international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
- signed, but not ratified:
- Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Geography-note
1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls; archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1998 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 47% (male 70,244; female 66,758)
- 15-64 years:
- 50% (male 73,784; female 70,539)
- 65 years and over:
- 3% (male 4,735; female 4,151) (July 1998 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.14 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Languages
Maldivian Divehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Government
Republic; President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978)
18 fieldsCitizens' Council or Majlis, 40 seats, elected 2 December 1994one dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Maldives
- conventional short form:
- Maldives
- local long form:
- Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
- local short form:
- Dhivehi Raajje
Administrative divisions
- 19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-order administrative division*;
- Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu
Legal system
based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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:
- Ministry of Atolls appointed by the president; note-need not be members of Majilis
- elections:
- president elected by secret ballot of the Majlis for a five-year term; election last held 1 October 1993 (next to be held NA October 1998)
- election results:
- President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected; percent of Majlis vote-Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 92.76%
Legislative branch
unicameral Citizens' Council or Majlis (48 seats; 40 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 2 December 1994 (next to be held NA December 1999)
- election results:
- percent of vote-NA; seats-independents 40
International organization participation
AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York
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
Economy
Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for | about 18% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange | receipts.
28 fieldsGDP-composition by sector(1994 est.)
Economy-overview
Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for about 18% 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. About 350,000 tourists visited the islands in 1997. Fishing is a second leading growth 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 minor 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 15% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is three feet or less above sea level.
Labor force
- total:
- 56,435 (1990 est.)
- by occupation:
- fishing industry and agriculture 25%, services 21%, manufacturing and construction 21%, trade, restaurants, and hotels 16%, transportation and communication 10%, other 7%
Industries
fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Exports
- total value:
- $59 million (f.o.b., 1996)
- commodities:
- fish, clothing
- partners:
- Sri Lanka, US, Germany, Singapore, UK
Imports
- total value:
- $302 million (f.o.b., 1996)
- commodities:
- consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
- partners:
- Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand
Telephone system
minimal domestic and international facilities
- domestic:
- inter-atoll communication primarily through HF transceivers and VHF/UHF telephones
- international:
- satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Transportation
6 fieldsMerchant marine, 20 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1997 est.)
Highways
- total:
- NA km
- paved:
- NA km
- unpaved:
- NA km; note-Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city (1988 est.)
Military
National Security Service (paramilitary police | force)
5 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Maldives.” The World Factbook 1998. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/maldives/1998.