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Guide to Maldives

Introduction

Background: The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM - currently in his sixth term in office - has dominated the islands' political scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004, the president and his government have pledged to embark upon democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.

Geography

Location: Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Geographic coordinates: 3 15 N, 73 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total
Area - comparative: about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 644 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Terrain: flat, with white sandy beaches
Elevation extremes: lowest point
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
Environment - current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
Environment - international agreements: party to
Geography - note: 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

People

Population: 349,106 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years
Median age: total
Population growth rate: 2.82% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 35.43 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 7.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth
Infant mortality rate: total
Life expectancy at birth: total population
Total fertility rate: 5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun
Ethnic groups: South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs
Religions: Sunni Muslim
Languages: Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Literacy: definition

Government

Country name: conventional long form
Government type: republic
Capital: Male
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
Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Constitution: adopted 1 January 1998
Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state
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
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leaders: although political parties are not banned, none exist
Political pressure groups and leaders: none
International organization participation: AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
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

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. 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 lesser 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. In late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.25 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture
Labor force: 88,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)
Unemployment rate: NEGL% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2002 est.)
Budget: revenues
Agriculture - products: coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Industries: fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Industrial production growth rate: 4.4% (1996 est.)
Electricity - production: 124.4 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel
Electricity - consumption: 115.7 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 3,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Exports: $90 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities: fish, clothing
Exports - partners: US 26.5%, Thailand 23.5%, Sri Lanka 12.3%, Japan 11.7%, UK 9.8%, Germany 4.9% (2004)
Imports: $392 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities: petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, intermediate and capital goods
Imports - partners: Singapore 24.9%, Sri Lanka 10.6%, UAE 10.3%, India 10.2%, Malaysia 7.6%, Bahrain 5.4% (2004)
Debt - external: $281 million (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: NA (1995)
Currency (code): rufiyaa (MVR)
Currency code: MVR
Exchange rates: rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002), 12.24 (2001), 11.77 (2000)
Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 28,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 41,900 (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 35,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 10,000 (1999)
Internet country code: .mv
Internet hosts: 532 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 15,000 (2002)

Transportation

Highways: total
Ports and harbors: Male
Merchant marine: total
Airports: 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total
Airports - with unpaved runways: total

Military

Military branches: National Security Service includes Security Branch (ground forces), Air Element, Coast Guard
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.) (2004)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $41.1 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs
Last updated: 20 October, 2005


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