CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Maldives


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!| Background:
 * The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM - currently in his sixth term in office - has dominated the island's political scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004, the president and his government have pledged to embark upon democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: water: 0 sq km land: 300 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm territorial sea: 12 nm !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 16.67% other: 70% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements !| Geography - note:
 * Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
 * 3 15 N, 73 00 E
 * Asia
 * total: 300 sq km
 * about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
 * 0 km
 * 644 km
 * measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
 * tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
 * flat, with white sandy beaches
 * lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
 * fish
 * arable land: 13.33%
 * NA sq km
 * low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
 * depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
 * party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
 * 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
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!| Population: !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 52.6% (male 91,045; female 87,331) 65 years and over: 3% (male 5,207; female 5,132) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 17.4 years female: 17.6 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: female: 59.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 57.43 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 62.41 years female: 65.01 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: Maldivian !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: total population: 97.2% male: 97.1% female: 97.3% (2003 est.)
 * 339,330 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: 44.4% (male 77,424; female 73,191)
 * total: 17.5 years
 * 2.86% (2004 est.)
 * 36.06 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 7.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
 * total: 58.32 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 63.68 years
 * 5.14 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 0.1% (2001 est.)
 * less than 100 (2001 est.)
 * NA
 * noun: Maldivian(s)
 * South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs
 * Sunni Muslim
 * Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
 * definition: age 15 and over can read and write
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Maldives local short form: Dhivehi Raajje local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval margin is required); president elected for a five-year term; election last held 17 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2008) election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.3% cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government !| Legislative branch: elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50 !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
 * republic
 * Male
 * 19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-order administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu
 * 26 July 1965 (from UK)
 * Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
 * adopted January 1998
 * based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
 * 21 years of age; universal
 * chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
 * unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
 * High Court
 * although political parties are not banned, none exist
 * none
 * AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
 * chief of mission: Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF
 * the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there
 * 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
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.) !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: NA !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (2002 est.) !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - recipient: !| Currency: !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Fishing is a second leading sector. The Maldivian Government began 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 lesser role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level.
 * purchasing power parity - $1.25 billion (2002 est.)
 * 2.3% (2002 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)
 * agriculture: 20%
 * NA
 * lowest 10%: NA
 * 1% (2002 est.)
 * 88,000 (2000)
 * agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)
 * NEGL% (2003 est.)
 * revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)
 * coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
 * fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
 * 4.4% (1996 est.)
 * 117 million kWh (2001)
 * 108.8 million kWh (2001)
 * 0 kWh (2001)
 * 0 kWh (2001)
 * 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 3,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * NA (2001)
 * NA (2001)
 * $90 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
 * fish, clothing
 * US 32.1%, Thailand 17%, Sri Lanka 13.4%, Japan 10.7%, UK 9.8%, Indonesia 4.5% (2003)
 * $392 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
 * consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
 * Singapore 24.8%, Sri Lanka 13.8%, India 10.2%, Malaysia 7.6%, UAE 7.6%, Thailand 5.1% (2003)
 * $281 million (2003 est.)
 * NA (1995)
 * rufiyaa (MVR)
 * MVR
 * rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002), 12.2421 (2001), 11.77 (2000), 11.77 (1999)
 * calendar year
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) !| Radio broadcast stations: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 28,700 (2002)
 * 41,900 (2002)
 * general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities
 * AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
 * 35,000 (1999)
 * 1 (1997)
 * 10,000 (1999)
 * .mv
 * 532 (2003)
 * 1 (2000)
 * 15,000 (2002)
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!| Highways: paved: NA km unpaved: NA km !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.) by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, short-sea/passenger 1 foreign-owned: North Korea 1 !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) !| Airports - with unpaved runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
 * total: NA km
 * Gan, Male
 * total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,164 GRT/68,973 DWT
 * 5 (2003 est.)
 * total: 2
 * total: 3
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!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - military age and obligation: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * National Security Service: comprising Security Branch (ground forces), Air Element; Coast Guard
 * 18 years of age (est.) (2004)
 * males age 15-49: 81,221 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 45,142 (2004 est.)
 * $43.1 million (2003)
 * 8.6% (2003)
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