Maldives

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

lowest point:

Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point:

unnamed location on Viligili in the Addu Atholhu 2.4 m

total:

0.003 cu km/yr (98%/2%/0%)

per capita:

9 cu m/yr (1987)

• depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies;
• global warming and sea level rise;
• coral reef bleaching

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

• 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

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.57 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.98 male(s)/female

total population:

1.4 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

noun:

Maldivian(s)

adjective:

Maldivian

conventional long form:

Republic of Maldives

conventional short form:

Maldives

local long form:

Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

local short form:

Dhivehi Raajje

name:

Male

geographic coordinates:

4 10 N, 73 30 E

time difference:

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

• 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

chief of state:

• President Mohamed "Anni" NASHEED (since 11 November 2008);
• Vice President Mohamed WAHEED Hassan Maniku (since 11 November 2008);
• note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:

President Mohamed "Anni" NASHEED (since 11 November 2008); Vice President Mohamed WAHEED Hassan Maniku (since 11 November 2008)

cabinet:

Cabinet of Ministers is appointed by the president; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)

elections:

• under the new constitution, the president elected by direct vote;
• president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
• election last held on 8 and 28 October 2008 (next to be held in 2013)

election results:

Mohamed NASHEED elected president; percent of vote - NASHEED 54.3%, Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 45.7%

• unicameral People's Council or People's Majlis (77 seats; members elected by direct vote to serve five-year terms);
• note - the Majlis in February 2009 passed legislation that increased the number of seats to 77 from 50

elections:

last held on 9 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)

election results:

• percent of vote - DRP 36.4%, MDP 33.8 %, PA 9.1%, DQP 2.6% Republican Party 1.2%, independents 16.9%;
• seats by party - DRP 28, MDP 26, PA 7, DQP 2, Republican Party 1, independents 13

• Supreme Court;
• Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval of voting members of the People's Council;
• High Court;
• Trial Courts;
• all lower court judges are appointed by the Judicial Service Commission

• Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Shaykh Hussein RASHEED Ahmed];
• Dhivehi Quamee Party or DQP [Hassan SAEED];
• Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's Party) or DRP [THASMEEN Ali];
• Gaumii Ithihaad (National Alliance) or GI [Mohamed WAHEED];
• Islamic Democratic Party or IDP;
• Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mariya DIDI];
• Maldives National Congress or MNC;
• Maldives Social Democratic Party or MSDP;
• People's Alliance or PA [Abdullah YAMEEN];
• People's Party or PP;
• Poverty Alleviation Party or PAP;
• Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP [Gasim IBRAHIM];
• Social Liberal Party or SLP [Ibrahim ISMAIL]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Abdul GHAFOOR Mohamed

chancery:

800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017

telephone:

[1] (212) 599-6195

FAX:

[1] (212) 661-6405

• the US does not have an embassy in Maldives;
• the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Ambassador Patricia A. BUTENIS, is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits

• red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent moon;
• the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag;
• red recalls those who have sacrificed their lives in defense of their country, the green rectangle represents peace and prosperity, and the white crescent signifies Islam

name:

"Gaumee Salaam" (National Salute)

lyrics/music:

Mohamed Jameel DIDI/Wannakuwattawaduge DON AMARADEVA

note: lyrics adopted 1948, music adopted 1972; between 1948 and 1972, the lyrics were sung to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne"

agriculture:

11%

industry:

23%

services:

65% (2006 est.)

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

general assessment:

• telephone services have improved;
• interatoll communication through microwave links;
• all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service

domestic:

each island now has at least 1 public telephone, and there are mobile-cellular networks with a rapidly expanding subscribership that exceeds 100 per 100 persons

international:

• country code - 960;
• linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);
• satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2009)

• state-owned radio and television monopoly until recently;
• by mid-2008 there were 5 radio broadcast stations operating;
• first private cable TV channel now operational with an additional 4 private TV channels in the regulatory pipeline (2008)

total:

88 km

country comparison to the world: 214

paved roads:

• 88 km - 60 km in Male;
• 14 km on Addu Atolis;
• 14 km on Laamu

note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006)

males age 16-49:

158,307

females age 16-49:

97,166 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49:

137,181

females age 16-49:

83,837 (2010 est.)

male:

4,369

female:

3,765 (2010 est.)