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
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