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 Match 151   DB Rec# - 7,603  Dataset-WOFACT

Title         :Maldives 
Text          : 
                                    Maldives 
 
                                    Geography 
 
Location: 
    Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
 
Map references: 
    Asia 
Area: 
  total area: 
    300 sq km 
  land area: 
    300 sq km 
  comparative area: 
    slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC 
Land boundaries: 
    0 km 
Coastline: 
    644 km 
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 
International disputes: 
    none 
Climate: 
    tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, 


    southwest monsoon (June to August) 
Terrain: 
    flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters 
Natural resources: 
    fish 
Land use: 
  arable land: 
    10% 
  permanent crops: 
    0% 
  meadows and pastures: 
    3% 
  forest and woodland: 
    3% 
  other: 
    84% 
Irrigated land: 
    NA sq 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 
Note: 
    1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls; archipelago of strategic 
    location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean 
 
                                     People 
 
Population: 
    261,310 (July 1995 est.) 
Age structure: 
  0-14 years: 
    47% (female 60,038; male 63,042) 
  15-64 years: 
    50% (female 63,526; male 67,020) 
  65 years and over: 
    3% (female 3,537; male 4,147) (July 1995 est.) 
Population growth rate: 
    3.58% (1995 est.) 
Birth rate: 
    42.8 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Death rate: 
    7 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Net migration rate: 
    0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Infant mortality rate: 
    50 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) 
Life expectancy at birth: 
  total population: 
    65.49 years 
  male: 
    63.99 years 
  female: 
    67.07 years (1995 est.) 
Total fertility rate: 
    6.17 children born/woman (1995 est.) 


Nationality: 
  noun: 
    Maldivian(s) 
  adjective: 
    Maldivian 
Ethnic divisions: 
    Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African 
Religions: 
    Sunni Muslim 
Languages: 
    Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic), English spoken by 
    most government officials 
Literacy: 
    age 15 and over can read and write (1985) 
  total population: 
    91% 
  male: 
    91% 
  female: 
    92% 
Labor force: 
    66,000 (est.) 
  by occupation: 
    fishing industry 25% 
 
                                   Government 
 
Names: 
  conventional long form: 
    Republic of Maldives 
  conventional short form: 
    Maldives 
Digraph: 
    MV 
Type: 
    republic 
Capital: 
    Male 
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 
Independence: 
    26 July 1965 (from UK) 
National holiday: 
    Independence Day, 26 July (1965) 
Constitution: 
    4 June 1968 
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 and head of government: 
    President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); election last held 
    1 October 1993 (next to be held 1998); results - President Maumoon Abdul 
    GAYOOM was reelected with 92.76% of the vote 
  cabinet: 
    Ministry of Atolls; appointed by the president 


Legislative branch: 
    unicameral 
  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 
Judicial branch: 
    High Court 
Political parties and leaders: 
    although political parties are not banned, none exist; country governed by 
    the Didi clan for the past eight centuries 
Member of: 
    AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, 
    IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, 
    UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO 
Diplomatic representation in US: 
    Maldives has no embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York; 
    Permanent Representative to the UN Ahmed ZAKI 
US diplomatic representation: 
  chief of mission: 
    the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic 
    visits there 
  consular agency: 
    Midhath Hilmy, Male 
  telephone: 
    322581 
 
                                   Government 
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 
 
                                     Economy 
 
Overview: 
    Fishing is the largest industry, employing 25% of the work force and 
    accounting for over 60% of exports. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes
 
    from import duties and tourism-related taxes. During the 1980s tourism 
    became one of the most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. 
    In 1993, tourism accounted for 17% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives'
 
    foreign exchange receipts. 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
 
    cultivatable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must
 
    be imported. In 1993, industry which consisted mainly of garment production,
 
    boat building, and handicrafts accounted for about 6% of GDP. 
National product: 
    GDP - purchasing power parity - $360 million (1993 est.) 
National product real growth rate: 
    5.4% (1993 est.) 
National product per capita: 
    $1,500 (1993 est.) 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 


    20% (1993) 
Unemployment rate: 
    NEGL% 
Budget: 
  revenues: 
    $95 million (excluding foreign transfers) 
  expenditures: 
    $143 million, including capital expenditures of $71 million (1993 est.) 
Exports: 
    $38.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) 
  commodities: 
    fish, clothing 
  partners: 
    US, UK, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Germany 
Imports: 
    $177.8 million (c.i.f., 1993) 
  commodities: 
    consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products 
  partners: 
    Singapore, Germany, Sri Lanka, India, Japan 
External debt: 
    $130 million (1993 est.) 
Industrial production: 
    growth rate 24% (1990); accounts for 6% of GDP 
Electricity: 
  capacity: 
    5,000 kW 
  production: 
    30 million kWh 
  consumption per capita: 
    123 kWh (1993) 
Industries: 
    fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, some coconut 
    processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope), handicrafts 
Agriculture: 
    fishing, coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes 
 
                                     Economy 
Economic aid: 
  recipient: 
    US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $28 million; Western (non-US) 
    countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $125 million; OPEC 
    bilateral aid (1979-89), $14 million 
Currency: 
    1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laari 
Exchange rates: 
    rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 11.770 (January 1995), 11.586 (1994), 10.957 (1993),
 
    10.569 (1992), 10.253 (1991), 9.509 (1990) 
Fiscal year: 
    calendar year 
 
                                 Transportation 
 
Railroads: 
    0 km 
Highways: 
  total: 
    NA 
  paved: 


    NA 
  unpaved: 
    NA (Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city) 
Ports: 
    Gan, Male 
Merchant marine: 
  total: 
    16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 50,384 GRT/77,771 DWT 
  ships by type: 
    cargo 14, container 1, oil tanker 1 
Airports: 
  total: 
    2 
  with paved runways over 3,047 m: 
    1 
  with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 
    1 
 
                                 Communications 
 
Telephone system: 
    2,804 telephones; minimal domestic and international facilities 
  local: 
    NA 
  intercity: 
    NA 
  international: 
    1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station 
Radio: 
  broadcast stations: 
    AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 
  radios: 
    NA 
Television: 
  broadcast stations: 
    1 
  televisions: 
    NA 
 
                                 Defense Forces 
 
Branches: 
    National Security Service (paramilitary police force) 
Manpower availability: 
    males age 15-49 57,172; males fit for military service 31,911 (1995 est.) 
Defense expenditures: 
    $NA, NA% of GDP 

This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).

The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995

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Updated: March 12, 1996