Maldives

Branches

National Security Service (paramilitary police force)

Defense expenditures

$NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 59,179 males fit for military service: 33,016 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

28,284 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

minimal domestic and international facilities domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones

8,523 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

7,309 (1992 est.) Defense

Agriculture

coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fishing

Budget

revenues: $88 million (excluding foreign grants) expenditures: $141 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Currency

1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laari

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview

During the 1980s tourism became one of the most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. In 1994, tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounted for about 18% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Fishing is a second leading growth sector. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. The Maldivian Government initiated 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. In 1994, industry which consisted mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts accounted for about 15% of GDP.

Electricity

capacity: 5,000 kW production: 30 million kWh consumption per capita: 123 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 11.770 (January 1996), 11.770 (1995), 11.586 (1994), 10.957 (1993), 10.569 (1992), 10.253 (1991)

Exports

$75.3 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: fish, clothing partners: Sri Lanka, US, Germany, Singapore, UK

External debt

$137.5 million (1994 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $390 million (1994 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 21.5% industry: 15.3% services: 63.2% (1994 est.)

GDP per capita

$1,560 (1994 est.)

GDP real growth rate

6.6% (1994 est.)

Imports

$195.1 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products partners: Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand

Industrial production growth rate

6.3% (1994 est.)

Industries

fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

16.5% (1994 est.)

Labor force

66,000 (est.) by occupation: fishing industry 25%

Unemployment rate

NEGL%

Area

total area: 300 sq km land area: 300 sq km comparative area: nearly twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

644 km

Environment

current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies natural hazards: low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

3 15 N, 73 00 E

Geographic note

1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls; archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 3% other: 84%

Location

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

Map references

Asia

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 35-310 nm as defined by geographic coordinates; segment of zone coincides with maritime boundary with India territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

fish

Terrain

flat lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili 24 m

Administrative divisions

19 districts (atolls); Aliff, Baa, Daalu, Faafu, Gaafu Aliff, Gaafu Daalu, Haa Aliff, Haa Daalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Laviyani, Meemu, Naviyani, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Waavu

Capital

Male

Constitution

4 June 1968

Data code

MV

Diplomatic representation in US

Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, headed by Ahmed ZAKI

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978) was reelected for a five-year term by secret ballot of the Majlis; election last held 1 October 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM was reelected with 92.76% of the vote cabinet: Ministry of Atolls was appointed by the president; note - need not be members of Majilis

Flag

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

Independence

26 July 1965 (from UK)

International organization participation

AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

High Court

Legal system

based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral; members elected for five-year terms or appointed by the president Citizens' Council (Majlis): elections last held 2 December 1994 (next to be held NA December 1999); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (48 total, 40 elected, 8 appointed by the president) independents 40

Name of country

conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives

National holiday

Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Political parties and leaders

although political parties are not banned, none exist

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there

Age structure

0-14 years: 47% (male 65,559; female 62,399) 15-64 years: 50% (male 69,071; female 65,659) 65 years and over: 3% (male 4,336; female 3,734) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

41.88 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

6.64 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African

Infant mortality rate

47 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Maldivian Divehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 66.17 years male: 64.6 years female: 67.82 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 93.2% male: 93.3% female: 93%

Nationality

noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

270,758 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

3.52% (1996 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female all ages: 1.05 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.06 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 2 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Highways

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: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 73,284 GRT/113,669 DWT ships by type: cargo 17, container 2, oil tanker 1 (1995 est.)

Ports

Gan, Male

Railways

0 km