Airports [time series]

total: 2 useable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city

Merchant marine [time series]

14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 38,848 GRT/58,496 DWT; includes 12 cargo, 1 container, 1 oil tanker

Ports [time series]

Male, Gan

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

minimal domestic and international facilities; 2,804 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

National Security Service (paramilitary police force)

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 53,730; fit for military service 30,014 (1993 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for almost 25% 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.)

Budget [time series]

revenues $52 million (excluding foreign transfers); expenditures $83 million, including capital expenditures of $39 million (1991 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laaris

Economic aid [time series]

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 [time series]

5,000 kW capacity; 11 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 10.506 (January 1993), 10.569 (1992), 10.253 (1991), 9.509 (1990), 9.0408 (1989), 8.7846 (1988)

Exports [time series]

$53.7 million (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: fish, clothing partners: US, UK, Sri Lanka

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$90 million (1991)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$150.9 million (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products partners: Singapore, Germany, Sri Lanka, India

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 24.0% (1990); accounts for 6% of GDP

Industries [time series]

fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, some coconut processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope), handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

11.5% (1991 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $140 million (1991 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$620 (1991 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

4.7% (1991 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 became 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.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NEGL%

Area [time series]

total area: 300 km2 land area: 300 km2 comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Coastline [time series]

644 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA km2

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 3% forest and woodland: 3% other: 84%

Location [time series]

South Asia, in the Indian Ocean off the southwest coast of India

Map references [time series]

Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

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 [time series]

fish

Note [time series]

archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

Terrain [time series]

flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters

Administrative divisions [time series]

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 [time series]

Male

Constitution [time series]

4 June 1964

Digraph [time series]

MV

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

Maldives does not maintain an embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

President: last held 23 September 1988 (next to be held September 1993); 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)

Executive branch [time series]

president, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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 [time series]

26 July 1965 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

High Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978)

Legal system [time series]

based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Citizens' Council (Majlis)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

no organized political parties; country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there consular agency: Midhath Hilmy, Male telephone: 2581

Birth rate [time series]

44.34 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7.91 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African

Infant mortality rate [time series]

57.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

66,000 (est.) by occupation: fishing industry 25%

Languages [time series]

Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 63.86 years male: 62.5 years female: 65.28 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1985) total population: 92% male: 92% female: 92%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

243,094 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.64% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Sunni Muslim

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.36 children born/woman (1993 est.)