: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
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%
Environment:
1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls
Note:
archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in
Indian Ocean
:Maldives People
Population:
234,371 (July 1992), growth rate 3.7% (1992)
Birth rate:
45 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
61 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
62 years male, 64 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
6.5 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Maldivian(s); adjective - Maldivian
Ethnic divisions:
Maldivians are a generally homogenous admixture of Sinhalese, Dravidian,
Arab, Austrolasian, and African
Religions:
Sunni Muslim
Languages:
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
:Maldives 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)
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
:Maldives 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 1974-90.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $174 million, per capita $770 (1988); real growth
rate 10.1% (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.7% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NEGL%
Budget:
revenues $67 million; expenditures $82 million, including capital
expenditures of $45 million (1990 est.)
Exports:
$52.0 million (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
fish 57%, clothing 25%
partners:
US, UK, Sri Lanka
Imports:
$128.9 million (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
consumer goods 54%, intermediate and capital goods 33%, petroleum products
13%
partners:
Singapore, Germany, Sri Lanka, India
External debt:
$70 million (December 1989)
Industrial production:
growth rate -5.0% (1988); accounts for 6% 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 67,000 tons (1990 est.)
Economic aid:
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:
rufiyaa (plural - rufiyaa); 1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laaris
Exchange rates:
rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 10.234 (January 1992), 10.253 (1991), 9.509 (1990),
9.0408 (1989), 8.7846 (1988), 9.2230 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Maldives Communications
Highways:
Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city
Ports:
Male, Gan
Merchant marine:
13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 37,293 GRT/56,246 DWT; includes 11
cargo, 1 container, 1 petroleum tanker
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; broadcast
stations - 2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station