Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

2,804 telephones; minimal domestic and international facilities local: NA intercity: NA international: 1 INTELSAT (Indian Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

National Security Service (paramilitary police force)

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

$NA, NA% of GDP MALI

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 57,172; males fit for military service 31,911 (1995 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

fishing, coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes

Budget [time series]

revenues: $95 million (excluding foreign transfers) expenditures: $143 million, including capital expenditures of $71 million (1993 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laari

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: 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]

capacity: 5,000 kW production: 30 million kWh consumption per capita: 123 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 11.770 (January 1995), 11.586 (1994), 10.957 (1993), 10.569 (1992), 10.253 (1991), 9.509 (1990)

Exports [time series]

$38.5 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: fish, clothing partners: US, UK, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Germany

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$130 million (1993 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$177.8 million (c.i.f., 1993) commodities: consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products partners: Singapore, Germany, Sri Lanka, India, Japan

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

growth rate 24% (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]

20% (1993)

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

GDP - purchasing power parity - $360 million (1993 est.)

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

$1,500 (1993 est.)

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

5.4% (1993 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Fishing is the largest industry, employing 25% of the work force and accounting for over 60% of exports. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. During the 1980s tourism became one of the most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. In 1993, tourism accounted for 17% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. The Maldivian government initiated 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 minor role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivatable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. In 1993, industry which consisted mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts accounted for about 6% of GDP.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NEGL%

Area [time series]

total area: 300 sq km land area: 300 sq km 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]

current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies natural hazards: low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

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]

Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India

Map references [time series]

Asia

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]

1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls; 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 1968

Digraph [time series]

MV

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

Maldives has no embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York; Permanent Representative to the UN Ahmed ZAKI

Executive branch [time series]

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

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

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): 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

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

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]

although political parties are not banned, none exist; 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: 322581

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 47% (female 60,038; male 63,042) 15-64 years: 50% (female 63,526; male 67,020) 65 years and over: 3% (female 3,537; male 4,147) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

42.8 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

7 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African

Infant mortality rate [time series]

50 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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: 65.49 years male: 63.99 years female: 67.07 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1985) total population: 91% male: 91% female: 92%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

261,310 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.58% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

Sunni Muslim

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.17 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Airports [time series]

total: 2 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA (Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 50,384 GRT/77,771 DWT ships by type: cargo 14, container 1, oil tanker 1

Ports [time series]

Gan, Male

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

0 km