MALDIVES
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 300 km2; land area: 300 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 644 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone: 35-310 nm (defined by geographic
coordinates; segment of zone coincides with maritime boundary with
India);
Territorial sea: 12 nm
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%
Environment: 1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls
Note: archipelago of strategic location astride and along
major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
PEOPLE
Population: 226,200 (July 1991), growth rate 3.7% (1991)
Birth rate: 46 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Infant mortality rate: 72 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Life expectancy at birth: 61 years male, 65 years female (1991)
Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (1991)
Nationality: noun--Maldivian(s); adjective--Maldivian
Ethnic divisions: admixtures of Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, and
black
Religion: Sunni Muslim
Language: Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic);
English spoken by most government officials
Literacy: 92% (male 92%, female 92%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1985)
Labor force: 66,000 (est.); 25% engaged in fishing industry
Organized labor: none
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: Republic of Maldives
Type: republic
Capital: Male
Administrative divisions: 19 district (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)
Constitution: 4 June 1964
Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English
common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Executive branch: president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Citizens' Council (Majlis)
Judicial branch: High Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Maumoon Abdul
GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978)
Political parties and leaders: no organized political parties;
country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections:
President--last held 23 September 1988 (next to be held September
1994);
results--President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected;
Citizens' Council--last held on 7 December 1989 (next to be held
7 December 1994);
results--percent of vote NA;
seats--(48 total, 40 elected)
Communists: negligible
Member of: AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC,
SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Maldives does not maintain an embassy
in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York;
US--the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and
makes periodic visits there; US Consular Agency, Midhath Hilmy,
Male; telephone 2581
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: The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and shipping.
Agriculture is limited to the production of a few subsistence crops that
provide only 10% of food requirements. Fishing is the largest industry,
employing 25% of the work force and accounting for over 60% of exports;
it is also an important source of government revenue. During the 1980s
tourism has become one of the most important and highest growth sectors
of the economy. In 1988 industry accounted for about 5% of GDP. Real
GDP is officially estimated to have increased by about 10% annually
during the period 1974-87, and GDP estimates for 1988 show a further
growth of 9% on the strength of a record fish catch and an improved
tourist season.
GDP: $136 million, per capita $670; real growth rate 9.2% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: NEGL%
Budget: revenues $51 million; expenditures $50 million, including
capital expenditures of $25 million (1988 est.)
Exports: $39.4 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--fish 57%, clothing 39%;
partners--Thailand, Western Europe, Sri Lanka
Imports: $105.7 million (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities--intermediate and capital goods 47%, consumer goods
42%, petroleum products 11%;
partners--Japan, Western Europe, Thailand
External debt: $70 million (December 1989)
Industrial production: growth rate - 5.0% (1988); accounts
for 5% of GDP
Electricity: 5,000 kW capacity; 11 million kWh produced,
50 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries: fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat
building, some coconut processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope),
handicrafts
Agriculture: accounts for almost 30% of GDP (including fishing);
fishing more important than farming; limited production of coconuts,
corn, sweet potatoes; most staple foods must be imported; fish catch
of 63,000 tons (1988 est.)
Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $28
million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-88), $105 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $14 million
Currency: rufiyaa (plural--rufiyaa); 1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laaris
Exchange rates: rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1--9.937 (January 1991),
9.509 (1990), 9.0408 (1989), 8.7846 (1988), 9.2230 (1987), 7.1507 (1986),
7.0981 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
COMMUNICATIONS
Highways: Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city
Ports: Male, Gan
Merchant marine: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 53,131
GRT/85,770 DWT; includes 14 cargo, 1 container, 1 petroleum, oils, and
lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 bulk
Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft
Airports: 2 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications: minimal domestic and international facilities;
2,804 telephones; stations--2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT
earth station
DEFENSE FORCES
Branches: National Security Service (paramilitary police force)
Manpower availability: males 15-49, 50,788; 28,378 fit for military
service
Defense expenditures: $1.8 million, NA% of GDP (1984 est.)