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Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) - Maldives (2001)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2002) z Maldives (2001)

 British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)Maldives (2001)
 British Indian Ocean TerritoryMaldives
Administrative divisions - 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
Age structure - 0-14 years:
45.63% (male 72,920; female 68,895)

15-64 years:
51.37% (male 81,506; female 78,149)

65 years and over:
3% (male 4,806; female 4,488) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products - coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Airports 1 (2001) 5 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)		 total:
2

over 3,047 m:
1

2,438 to 3,047 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total:
3

914 to 1,523 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Area total: 60 sq km


land: 60 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago		 total:
300 sq km

land:
300 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Background Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.
Birth rate - 38.15 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget - revenues:
$166 million (excluding foreign grants)

expenditures:
$192 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (1999 est.)
Capital - Male
Climate tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Coastline 698 km 644 km
Constitution - adopted January 1998
Country name conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT		 conventional long form:
Republic of Maldives

conventional short form:
Maldives

local long form:
Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

local short form:
Dhivehi Raajje
Currency - rufiyaa (MVR)
Death rate - 8.09 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external - $237 million (2000 est.)
Dependency status overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of the UK) the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of the UK) Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York
Disputes - international Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain none
Economic aid - recipient - $NA
Economy - overview All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. 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. Almost 400,000 tourists visited the islands in 1998. 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 minor 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.
Electricity - consumption NA kWh 93.9 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military 101 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m		 lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point:
unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m
Environment - current issues NA depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
Environment - international agreements - party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups - South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs
Exchange rates - rufiyaa per US dollar - 11.770 (fixed rate since 1995)
Executive branch chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch		 chief of state:
President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
appointed by the president; note - need not be members of Majlis

elections:
president nominated by the Majlis and then that 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 16 October 1998 (next to be held NA October 2003)

election results:
President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.9%
Exports - $88 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities - fish, clothing
Exports - partners - US, UK, Sri Lanka, Japan
Fiscal year - calendar year
Flag description white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the 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
GDP - purchasing power parity - $594 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture:
20%

industry:
18%

services:
62% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 7.6% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 6 00 S, 71 30 E 3 15 N, 73 00 E
Geography - note archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
Highways total: NA km


paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia


unpaved: NA km		 total:
NA km

paved:
NA km

unpaved:
NA km; note - Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city (1988 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Imports - $372 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities - consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners - Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Canada
Independence - 26 July 1965 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate - 4.4% (1996 est.)
Industries - fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Infant mortality rate - 63.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 3% (2000 est.)
International organization participation - AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 0 sq km (1998 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch - High Court
Labor force - 67,000 (1995)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: NEGL


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)		 arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
3%

forests and woodland:
3%

other:
84% (1993 est.)
Languages - Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Legal system the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch - unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 20 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2004)

election results:
percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 42
Life expectancy at birth - total population:
62.56 years

male:
61.39 years

female:
63.8 years (2001 est.)
Literacy - definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
93.2%

male:
93.3%

female:
93% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Map references Political Map of the World Asia
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM		 measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

contiguous zone:
24 NM

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine - total:
17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 58,604 GRT/81,451 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 16, short-sea passenger 1 (2000 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 -
Military branches - National Security Service
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA%
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
71,856 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
40,006 (2001 est.)
National holiday - Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Nationality - noun:
Maldivian(s)

adjective:
Maldivian
Natural hazards NA low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
Natural resources coconuts, fish, sugarcane fish
Net migration rate - 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Political parties and leaders - although political parties are not banned, none exist
Political pressure groups and leaders - none
Population no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.)		 310,764 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line - NA%
Population growth rate - 3.01% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Diego Garcia Gan, Male
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios NA 35,000 (1999)
Railways - 0 km
Religions - Sunni Muslim
Sex ratio - at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
1.07 male(s)/female

total population:
1.05 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage - 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)		 general assessment:
minimal domestic and international facilities

domestic:
interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service

international:
satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use NA 21,000 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 1,290 (1997)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 1 (1997)
Terrain flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation) flat, with white sandy beaches
Total fertility rate - 5.5 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate - NEGL%
Waterways none none
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