Maldives
Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
republicIndependence 26 July 1965 (from UK)
Maldives as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 111 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.
Geography
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
18 fieldsClimate
- 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
Land use
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 3% other: 84% (1993 est.)
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 of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 45.63% (male 72,920; female 68,895) 15-64 years: 51.37% (male 81,506; female 78,149) 65 years and over: 3% (male 4,806; female 4,488) (2001 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: 1.07 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 62.56 years male: 61.39 years female: 63.8 years (2001 est.)
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: 93.2% male: 93.3% female: 93% (1995 est.)
Government
Republic; President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978)
18 fieldsPeople's Council or Majlis, 42 seatsone 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: appointed by the president;
- note - need not be members of Majlis elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then that 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 16 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003) election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected;
- percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.9%
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 20 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 42
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 20% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts.
32 fieldsElectricity
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. Almost 400,000 tourists visited the islands in 1998. 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 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 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.
Budget
revenues: $166 million (excluding foreign grants) expenditures: $192 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (1999 est.)
Industries
fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone 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: satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Transportation
8 fieldsHighways
total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km; note - Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city (1988 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 58,604 GRT/81,451 DWT ships by type: cargo 16, short-sea passenger 1 (2000 est.)
Military
National Security Service
5 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Maldives.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/maldives/2001.