Maldives
Republic of MaldivesDhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
presidential republicIndependence 26 July 1965 (from the UK)
Maldives as the 2022 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 156 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.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Introduction
1 fieldBackground
A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887. The islands became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated Maldives' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following political demonstrations in the capital Male in August 2003, GAYOOM and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Political parties were legalized in 2005.
In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" - finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM in August 2008. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the GAYOOM regime. In early February 2012, after several weeks of street protests in response to his ordering the arrest of a top judge, NASHEED purportedly resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku.
A government-appointed Commission of National Inquiry concluded there was no evidence of a coup, but NASHEED contends that police and military personnel forced him to resign. NASHEED, WAHEED, and Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ran in the 2013 elections with YAMEEN ultimately winning the presidency after three rounds of voting. As president, YAMEEN weakened democratic institutions, curtailed civil liberties, jailed his political opponents, restricted the press, and exerted control over the judiciary to strengthen his hold on power and limit dissent.
In September 2018, YAMEEN lost his reelection bid to Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH, a parliamentarian of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who had the support of a coalition of four parties that came together to defeat YAMEEN and restore democratic norms to Maldives. In April 2019, SOLIH's MDP won 65 of 87 seats in parliament.
Geography
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
17 fieldsClimate
- tropical;
- hot, humid;
- dry, northeast monsoon (November to March);
- rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Terrain
flat coral atolls, with white sandy beaches; sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive Ridge
Elevation
- highest point:
- 8th tee, golf course, Villingi Island 5 m
- lowest point:
- Indian Ocean 0 m
- mean elevation:
- 2 m
Land use
- agricultural land:
- 23.3% (2018 est.)
- arable land:
- 10% (2018 est.)
- permanent crops:
- 10% (2018 est.)
- permanent pasture:
- 3.3% (2018 est.)
- forest:
- 3% (2018 est.)
- other:
- 73.7% (2018 est.)
Population distribution
- about a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City;
- the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago
Geography - note
- smallest Asian country;
- archipelago of 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts);
- strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
People and Society
37 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2020 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2022 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups
homogeneous mixture of Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, Australasian, and African resulting from historical changes in regional hegemony over marine trade routes
Languages
Dhivehi (official, dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English (spoken by most government officials)
Population distribution
- about a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City;
- the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.2 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 1.11 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 0.89 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.75 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.08 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 1.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 0.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Child marriage
- women married by age 15:
- 0%
- women married by age 18:
- 2.2%
- men married by age 18:
- 2.2% (2017 est.)
Environment
11 fieldsEnvironment - current issues
- rising sea levels threaten land;
- depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies;
- inadequate sewage treatment;
- coral reef bleaching
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants
- particulate matter emissions:
- 7.63 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
- carbon dioxide emissions:
- 1.44 megatons (2016 est.)
- methane emissions:
- 0.14 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
- tropical;
- hot, humid;
- dry, northeast monsoon (November to March);
- rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Land use
- agricultural land:
- 23.3% (2018 est.)
- arable land:
- 10% (2018 est.)
- permanent crops:
- 10% (2018 est.)
- permanent pasture:
- 3.3% (2018 est.)
- forest:
- 3% (2018 est.)
- other:
- 73.7% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 42% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 2.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 5.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
- industrial:
- 300,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)
- agricultural:
- 0 cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
Presidential republic; President Ibrahim "Ibu" Mohamed SOLIH (since 17 November 2018); President Ibrahim "Ibu" Mohamed SOLIH (since 17 November 2018)
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Parliament or People's Majlis, 87 seats, elected 6 April 2019one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Composition: men 83, women 4, percent of women 4.6%
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Maldives
- conventional short form:
- Maldives
- local long form:
- Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
- local short form:
- Dhivehi Raajje
- etymology:
- archipelago apparently named after the main island (and capital) of Male;
- the word "Maldives" means "the islands (dives) of Male";
- alternatively, the name may derive from the Sanskrit word "maladvipa" meaning "garland of islands";
- Dhivehi Raajje in Dhivehi means "Kingdom of the Dhivehi people"
Capital
- name:
- Male
- geographic coordinates:
- 4 10 N, 73 30 E
- time difference:
- UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- etymology:
- derived from the Sanskrit word "mahaalay" meaning "big house"
Administrative divisions
21 administrative atolls (atholhuthah, singular - atholhu); Addu (Addu City), Ariatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Ari Atoll), Ariatholhu Uthuruburi (North Ari Atoll), Faadhippolhu, Felidhuatholhu (Felidhu Atoll), Fuvammulah, Hahdhunmathi, Huvadhuatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Huvadhu Atoll), Huvadhuatholhu Uthuruburi (North Huvadhu Atoll), Kolhumadulu, Maale (Male), Maaleatholhu (Male Atoll), Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Maalhosmadulu), Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi (North Maalhosmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Miladhunmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Uthuruburi (North Miladhunmadulu), Mulakatholhu (Mulaku Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Nilandhe Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Uthuruburi (North Nilandhe Atoll), Thiladhunmathee Dhekunuburi (South Thiladhunmathi), Thiladhunmathee Uthuruburi (North Thiladhunmathi)
Constitution
- history:
- many previous; latest ratified 7 August 2008
- amendments:
- proposed by Parliament;
- passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote by its membership and the signature of the president of the republic;
- passage of amendments to constitutional articles on rights and freedoms and the terms of office of Parliament and of the president also requires a majority vote in a referendum;
- amended 2015
Legal system
Islamic (sharia) legal system with English common law influences, primarily in commercial matters
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
- citizenship by birth:
- no
- citizenship by descent only:
- at least one parent must be a citizen of Maldives
- dual citizenship recognized:
- yes
- residency requirement for naturalization:
- unknown
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Ibrahim "Ibu" Mohamed SOLIH (since 17 November 2018);
- Vice President Faisal NASEEM (since 17 November 2018);
- the president is both chief of state and head of government
- head of government:
- President Ibrahim "Ibu" Mohamed SOLIH (since 17 November 2018); Vice President Faisal NASEEM (since 17 November 2018)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by Parliament
- elections/appointments:
- president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term);
- election last held on 23 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
- election results:
- 2018: Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH elected president (in the first round); Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 58.3%, Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom (PPM) 41.7%
Legislative branch
- description:
- unicameral Parliament or People's Majlis (87 seats - includes 2 seats added by the Elections Commission in late 2018; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 6 April 2019 (next to be held in 2023)
- election results:
- percent of vote - MDP 44.7%, JP 10.8%, PPM 8.7%, PNC 6.4%, MDA 2.8%, other 5.6%, independent 21%;
- seats by party - MDP 65, JP 5, PPM 5, PNC 3, MDA 2, independent 7;
- composition - men 83, women 4, percent of women 4.6%
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 justices
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court judges appointed by the president in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission - a 10-member body of selected high government officials and the public - and upon confirmation by voting members of the People's Majlis;
- judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
- subordinate courts:
- High Court;
- Criminal, Civil, Family, Juvenile, and Drug Courts;
- Magistrate Courts (on each of the inhabited islands)
Political parties and leaders
Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Sheikh Imran ABDULLA]; Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRP [Abdulla JABIR]; Maldives Development Alliance or MDA [Ahmed Shiyam MOHAMED]; Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]; Maldives Labor and Social Democratic Party or MLSDP [Ahmed SHIHAM]; Maldives Third Way Democrats or MTD [Ahmed ADEEB]; Maumoon/Maldives Reform Movement or MRM [Ahmed Faris MAUMOON]; National Democratic Congress [Yousuf Maaniu]; People's National Congress or PNC [Abdul Raheem ABDULLA]; Progressive Party of Maldives or PPM [Abdulla YAMEEN]; Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP [Qasim IBRAHIM] (2020)
International organization participation
ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Maldives has no embassy in the US, but its Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Thilmeeza HUSSAIN (since 8 July 2019), is accredited to the US and serves as ambassador
- chancery:
- 801 Second Avenue, Suite 202E, New York, NY 10017
- telephone:
- [1] (212) 599-6194; [1] (212) 599-6195
- FAX:
- [1] (212) 661-6405
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; http://www.maldivesmission.com/
Diplomatic representation from the US
- embassy:
- the US does not have an embassy in Maldives;
- the US is in the process of opening an embassy in Maldives;
- as of March 2022, there is no US Ambassador to Maldives;
- until late 2021, the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka was also accredited to the Maldives
Flag description
- 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
National anthem
- 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"
Economy
Maldives has quickly become a middle-income country, driven by the rapid growth of its tourism and fisheries sectors, but the country still contends with a large and growing fiscal deficit.
34 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2015 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2016 est.)
Budget(2016 est.)
Economic overview
Maldives has quickly become a middle-income country, driven by the rapid growth of its tourism and fisheries sectors, but the country still contends with a large and growing fiscal deficit. Infrastructure projects, largely funded by China, could add significantly to debt levels. Political turmoil and the declaration of a state of emergency in February 2018 led to the issuance of travel warnings by several countries whose citizens visit Maldives in significant numbers, but the overall impact on tourism revenue was unclear.
In 2015, Maldives’ Parliament passed a constitutional amendment legalizing foreign ownership of land; foreign land-buyers must reclaim at least 70% of the desired land from the ocean and invest at least $1 billion in a construction project approved by Parliament.
Diversifying the economy beyond tourism and fishing, reforming public finance, increasing employment opportunities, and combating corruption, cronyism, and a growing drug problem are near-term challenges facing the government. Over the longer term, Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is 1 meter or less above sea level.
Credit ratings
- Fitch rating:
- CCC (2020)
- Moody's rating:
- B3 (2020)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agricultural products
papayas, vegetables, roots/tubers nes, nuts, fruit, other meat, tomatoes, coconuts, bananas, maize
Industries
tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Exports
$3.72 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars; $3.58 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports
$4.09 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars; $4.1 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$477.9 million (31 December 2016 est.) · $575.8 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Energy
11 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2020)
Installed generating capacity, 545,000 kW(2020 est.)
Coal
- production:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- consumption:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- exports:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- imports:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
- total petroleum production:
- 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
- refined petroleum consumption:
- 15,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)
- crude oil and lease condensate exports:
- 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
- crude oil and lease condensate imports:
- 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
- crude oil estimated reserves:
- 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
- production:
- 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
- consumption:
- 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
- exports:
- 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
- imports:
- 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
2.286 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
- from coal and metallurgical coke:
- 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids:
- 2.286 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
- from consumed natural gas:
- 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Communications
7 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
- general assessment:
- with its economy so heavily dependent on tourism, the Maldives has suffered heavy economic as well as health casualties during the pandemic;
- the country had a relatively short period of lock down and was willing to welcome visitors back as early as July 2020;
- but the effective shutdown of international air travel for most of the year resulted in the bottom falling out of the Maldives’ tourism industry, taking GDP down 32% in the process;
- the economy fared better in 2021, with a return to growth, yet it may still be a few years before the country’s key industries can return to the same level of prosperity that they previously enjoyed;
- the country’s high number of tourists and expatriate workers has inflated the penetration rate for mobile services, making it one of the highest in the world;
- that rate crashed in 2020 as demand for SIM cards (primarily prepaid) dried up;
- however, the number of contract subscribers increased as locals took advantage of competitive pricing offers from operators;
- everything now rests on a fast return to normality, with tourists helping to boost the nation’s coffers as well as buying up those prepaid SIM cards;
- with commercial 5G services already launched and fiber networks rapidly expanding around the country, the Maldives is primed to deliver world-class telecommunications services to its domestic and international customers (2021)
- domestic:
- fixed-line is at nearly 3 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular subscriptions stands at nearly 133 per 100 persons (2020)
- international:
- country code - 960;
- landing points for Dhiraagu Cable Network, NaSCOM, Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Networks and WARF submarine cables providing connections to 8 points in Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka;
- satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production;
progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media
- state-owned radio and TV monopoly until recently;
- 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned TV stations and 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned radio stations (2019)
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine, 68 ships by typeone square, one ship · (2021)
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
National air transport system
- number of registered air carriers:
- 3 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 36
- annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
- 1,147,247 (2018)
- annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
- 7.75 million (2018)
Roadways
- total:
- 93 km (2018)
- paved:
- 93 km (2018) - 60 km in Malée;
- 16 km on Addu Atolis;
- 17 km on Laamu
note: island roads are mainly compacted coral
Military and Security
6 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 100 people · (2022)
Military and security forces
the Republic of Maldives has no distinct army, navy, or air force but a single security unit called the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) comprised of ground forces , an air element, a coastguard, a presidential security division, and a special protection group (2022) note: the Maldives Police Service is responsible for internal security and reports to the Ministry of Home Affairs
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
India has provided most of the equipment in the MNDF's inventory (2022)
Military service age and obligation
- 18-28 years of age for voluntary service;
- no conscription;
- 10th grade or equivalent education required;
- must not be a member of a political party (2022)
Military - note
the MNDF is primarily tasked to reinforce the Maldives Police Service and ensure security in the country's exclusive economic zone (2022)
Terrorism
1 fieldTerrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Maldives.” The World Factbook 2022. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/maldives/2022.