Maldives Population: 394,999
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| Background | |
| Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated the islands' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004, the president and his government pledged to embark upon democratic reforms including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress was sluggish, however, and many promised reforms were slow to be realized. Nonetheless, political parties were legalized in 2005. In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" - finalized a new constitution, which was ratified by the president in August. 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 former regime. Challenges facing President NASHEED include strengthening democracy and combating poverty and drug abuse. Maldives officials have played a prominent role in the international climate change discussion (due to the islands' low elevation and the threat from sea-level rise) and on the United Nations Human Rights Council. |
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| Geography | |
| 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 | |
| Location: | Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India |
| Geographic coordinates: | 3 15 N, 73 00 E |
| Area: | total: 298 sq km land: 298 sq km water: 0 sq km Size comparison: 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: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| 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: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Viligili in the Addu Atholhu 2.4 m |
| Natural resources: | fish |
| Land use: | arable land: 13.33% permanent crops: 30% other: 56.67% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | NA |
| Natural hazards: | tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise |
| Current Environment Issues: | depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching |
| International Environment Agreements: | 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 |
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| People | |
| Population: | 394,999 (July 2011 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 21.5% (male 43,332/female 41,642) 15-64 years: 74.4% (male 177,365/female 116,552) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 7,888/female 8,220) (2011 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 26.2 years male: 26.8 years female: 25.2 years (2011 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | -0.151% (2011 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 14.83 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Death rate: | 3.71 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -12.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | 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 (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 27.45 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 74.45 years male: 72.22 years female: 76.8 years (2011 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.81 children born/woman (2011 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | fewer than 100 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 100 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian |
| Ethnic groups: | South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs |
| Religions: | Sunni Muslim (official) |
| Languages: | Dhivehi (official, 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: 93.8% male: 93% female: 94.7% (2006 Census) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | name: Male geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 7 provinces and 1 municipality*; Dhekunu (South), Maale*, Mathi Dhekunu (Upper South), Mathi Uthuru (Upper North), Medhu (Central), Medhu Dhekunu (South Central), Medhu Uthuru (North Central), Uthuru (North) |
| Independence: | 26 July 1965 (from the UK) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 26 July (1965) |
| Constitution: | new constitution ratified 7 August 2008 |
| Legal system: | Islamic religious legal system with English common law influences, primarily in commercial matters |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | 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 the World 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 - Mohamed NASHEED 54.3%, Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 45.7% |
| Legislative branch: | 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 as of 23 February 2011 - DRP 27, MDP 33, PA 7, DQP 1, Republican Party 2, independents 7 |
| Judicial branch: | 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 |
| Political parties and leaders: | 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 Ahmed 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] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | other: various unregistered political parties |
| International organization participation: | ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, 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: Ambassador Abdul GHAFOOR Mohamed chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195 FAX: [1] (212) 661-6405 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | 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 |
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| Economy | |
| Tourism, Maldives' largest economic activity, accounts for 28% of GDP and more than 60% of foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Fishing is the second leading sector, but the fish catch has dropped sharply in recent years. 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. In the last decade, real GDP growth averaged around 6% per year except for 2005, when GDP declined following the Indian Ocean tsunami, and in 2009, when GDP shrank by 3% as tourist arrivals declined and capital flows plunged in the wake of the global financial crisis. Falling tourist arrivals and fish exports, combined with high government spending on social needs, subsidies, and civil servant salaries contributed to a balance of payments crisis, which was eased with a December 2009, $79.3 million dollar IMF standby agreement. However, after the first two disbursements, the IMF withheld subsequent disbursements due to concerns over Maldives' growing budget deficit. Maldives has had chronic budget deficits in recent years and the government's plans to cut expenditures have not progressed well. A new Goods and Services Tax on Tourism (GST) was introduced in January 2011 and a new Business Profit Tax is to be introduced during the year. These taxes are expected to increase government revenue by about 25%. The government has privatized the main airport and is partially privatizing the energy sector. Tourism will remain the engine of the economy. The Government of the Maldives has aggressively promoted building new island resorts. Due to increasing tourist arrivals, the government expects GDP growth around 4.0% in 2011. Diversifying the economy beyond tourism and fishing, reforming public finance, and increasing employment opportunities are major 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. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.734 billion (2010 est.) $2.532 billion (2009 est.) $2.658 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $1.87 billion (2010 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 8% (2010 est.) -4.8% (2009 est.) 12.8% (2008 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $6,900 (2010 est.) $6,400 (2009 est.) $6,900 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 5.6% industry: 16.9% services: 77.5% (2009 est.) |
| Labor force: | 110,000 (2010) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 11% industry: 23% services: 65% (2006 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 14.5% (2010 est.) 14.4% (2006 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 16% (2008) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2010 est.) 7.3% (2009 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $476 million expenditures: $758 million (2010 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish |
| Industries: | tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining |
| Industrial production growth rate: | -0.9% (2004 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 542 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 542 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2009 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 6,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 0 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - imports: | 6,088 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$463 million (2010 est.) -$419 million (2009 est.) |
| Exports: | $163 million (2009 est.) $331 million (2008 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | fish |
| Exports - partners: | Thailand 17.9%, Sri Lanka 16.9%, France 14.2%, UK 12.1%, Italy 9.2%, Tanzania 4.9% (2010) |
| Imports: | $967 million (2009 est.) $1.388 billion (2008 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and capital goods |
| Imports - partners: | Singapore 24.7%, UAE 17.2%, India 8.6%, Malaysia 8.1%, Sri Lanka 5.7%, Thailand 5.7%, China 5.6% (2010) |
| Debt - external: | $943 million (2010 est.) $933 million (2009 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA |
| Exchange rates: | rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar - 12.8 (2010) 12.8 (2008) 12.8 (2007) 12.8 (2006) |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 49,913 (2009) country comparison to the world: 162 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 461,149 (2009) |
| Telephone system: | 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) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .mv |
| Internet hosts: | 2,164 (2010) |
| Internet users: | 86,400 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 5 (2010) country comparison to the world: 180 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2010) |
| Roadways: | total: 88 km 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) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 24 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 20, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2 registered in other countries: 4 (Panama 3, Tuvalu 1) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Male |
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| Military | |
| The Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), with its small size and with little serviceable equipment, is inadequate to prevent external aggression and is primarily tasked to reinforce the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and ensure security in the exclusive economic zone (2008) | |
| Military branches: | Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Marine Corps, Security Protection Group, Coast Guard (2010) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18-28 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 156,319 females age 16-49: 98,815 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 135,374 females age 16-49: 85,181 (2010 est.) |
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