1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 300 sq km land area: 300 sq km comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times 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
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
Note
1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls; archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
Terrain
flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters
People and Society
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.)
Birth rate
42.8 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
7 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African
Infant mortality rate
50 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
66,000 (est.) by occupation: fishing industry 25%
Languages
Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 65.49 years male: 63.99 years female: 67.07 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1985) total population: 91% male: 91% female: 92%
Nationality
noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
261,310 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
3.58% (1995 est.)
Religions
Sunni Muslim
Total fertility rate
6.17 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
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
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
Constitution
4 June 1968
Digraph
MV
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
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
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)
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
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
Names
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; country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Type
republic
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
Economy
Agriculture
fishing, coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes
Budget
revenues: $95 million (excluding foreign transfers) expenditures: $143 million, including capital expenditures of $71 million (1993 est.)
Currency
1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laari
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
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 1995), 11.586 (1994), 10.957 (1993), 10.569 (1992), 10.253 (1991), 9.509 (1990)
Exports
$38.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: fish, clothing partners: US, UK, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Germany
External debt
$130 million (1993 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Imports
$177.8 million (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products partners: Singapore, Germany, Sri Lanka, India, Japan
Industrial production
growth rate 24% (1990); accounts for 6% of GDP
Industries
fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, some coconut processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope), handicrafts
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
20% (1993)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $360 million (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$1,500 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
5.4% (1993 est.)
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.
Unemployment rate
NEGL%
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
2,804 telephones; minimal domestic and international facilities local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station
Television
broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 2 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
Highways
total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA (Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city)
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
Ports
Gan, Male
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Branches
National Security Service (paramilitary police force)
Defense expenditures
$NA, NA% of GDP ________________________________________________________________________ MALI
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 57,172; males fit for military service 31,911 (1995 est.)