Maldives

Republic of MaldivesDhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

republicIndependence 26 July 1965 (from UK)

Maldives as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 101 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

Position3 15 N, 73 00 E

Area300 sq km

LocationSouthern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean,

Populationas each edition published it

300,220 people July 1999 est. · 217,945 in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.37% 1999 est. · 3.64% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

68.29 years 1999 est. · 63.86 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.73 children per woman 1999 est. · 6.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

38.14 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 76 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,840 1998 est. · $620 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5.8% 1998 est. · 4.7% in 1993

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 300 sq km

arable land 10%permanent crops 0%forests and woodland 3%other 84% (1993 est.)permanent pastures 3% in all

Area

300sq km

land: 300 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmabout 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

644km

land boundaries: 0 kmMaritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselinescontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

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

Climate

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

Elevation extremes

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

Natural hazards

low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise

Environment--current issues

depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies

Environment--international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:: 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 fields

Population

300,220

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 3.37% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

39.3Death

5.63Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)68.29

66.53 · 70.15

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)93.2%

93.3% · 93%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Age structure

0-14 years:: 47% (male 72,414; female 68,764)
15-64 years:: 50% (male 76,446; female 73,275)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 4,944; female 4,377) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1.13 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.05 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

38.14 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Maldivian(s)
adjective:: Maldivian

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 fields

Legislature, 40 seats, elected 2 December 1994one dot, one seat

-independents 40

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 Majlis
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

Political parties and leaders

although political parties are not banned, none exist

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, OPCW, 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.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,840

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

5.8%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 6.3% (1994 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

6.3%

(1996)

Labor force

56,435

(1990 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1994 est.)

agriculture 22%industry 15%services 63% (1994 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$88 million (excluding foreign grants)Expenditures

$141 million (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

60 million (1996)Electricity consumption

60 million (1996)

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 one meter or less above sea level.

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

8,523

(1992 est.)

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

7 fields

Merchant marine, 21 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1998 est.)

cargo 18container 1oil tanker 1short-sea passenger 1

Railways

0 km

Highways

total:: NA km
paved:: NA km
unpaved:: NA km; note--Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city (1988 est.)

total:: 2
over 3,047 m:: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways

total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (1998 est.)

Military

National Security Service (paramilitary police | force)

5 fields

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes--international

none

Central Intelligence Agency. “Maldives.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/maldives/1999.

How to cite ← 1998 edition 2000 edition →