Grenada (2001) | Maldives (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick | 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:
37.05% (male 16,739; female 16,318) 15-64 years: 59.03% (male 27,850; female 24,820) 65 years and over: 3.92% (male 1,592; female 1,908) (2001 est.) |
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 | bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables | coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish |
Airports | 3 (2000 est.) | 5 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
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:
340 sq km land: 340 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
300 sq km land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | twice the size of Washington, DC | about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | One of the smallest independent countries in the western hemisphere, Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19 October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections were reinstituted the following year. | 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 | 23.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 38.15 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$85.8 million expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28 million (1997) |
revenues:
$166 million (excluding foreign grants) expenditures: $192 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (1999 est.) |
Capital | Saint George's | Male |
Climate | tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds | tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) |
Coastline | 121 km | 644 km |
Constitution | 19 December 1973 | adopted January 1998 |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Grenada |
conventional long form:
Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje |
Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) | rufiyaa (MVR) |
Death rate | 7.82 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 8.09 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $182.8 million (1998) | $237 million (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
the ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada embassy: Point Salines, Saint George's mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176 FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820 |
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 | chief of mission:
Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 consulate(s) general: New York |
Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $8.3 million (1995) | $NA |
Economy - overview | In this island economy progress in fiscal reforms and prudent macroeconomic management have kept annual growth steady since 1998. The increase in economic activity has been led by construction and trade. Tourist facilities are being expanded; tourism is the leading foreign exchange earner. Major short-term concerns are the rising fiscal deficit and the deterioration in the external account balance. Grenada shares a common central bank and a common currency with seven other members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). | 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 | 111.6 million kWh (1999) | 93.9 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 120 million kWh (1999) | 101 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 | black 82% some South Asians (East Indians) and Europeans, trace Arawak/Carib Amerindian | South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) | rufiyaa per US dollar - 11.770 (fixed rate since 1995) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996) head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister appointed by the governor general from among the members of the House of Assembly |
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 | $62.3 million (2000 est.) | $88 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace | fish, clothing |
Exports - partners | Caricom 32.3%, UK 20%, US 13%, Netherlands 8.8% (1991) | US, UK, Sri Lanka, Japan |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative divisions | 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 - $394 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $594 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
9.7% industry: 15% services: 75.3% (1996 est.) |
agriculture:
20% industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,400 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 7% (2000 est.) | 7.6% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 07 N, 61 40 W | 3 15 N, 73 00 E |
Geography - note | the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada | 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:
1,040 km paved: 638 km unpaved: 402 km (1996) |
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% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US | - |
Imports | $217.5 million (2000 est.) | $372 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel (1989) | consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products |
Imports - partners | US 31.2%, Caricom 23.6%, UK 13.8%, Japan 7.1% (1991) | Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Canada |
Independence | 7 February 1974 (from UK) | 26 July 1965 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 0.7% (1997 est.) | 4.4% (1996 est.) |
Industries | food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction | fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining |
Infant mortality rate | 14.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 63.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2000 est.) | 3% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO | 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) | 14 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate judge resides in Grenada) | High Court |
Labor force | 42,300 (1996) | 67,000 (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 62%, agriculture 24%, industry 14% (1999 est.) | agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
15% permanent crops: 18% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 9% other: 55% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
10% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 3% forests and woodland: 3% other: 84% (1993 est.) |
Languages | English (official), French patois | Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials |
Legal system | based on English common law | based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10 appointed by the government and three by the leader of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 18 January 1999 (next to be held by NA October 2004) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NNP 14, GULP 1 |
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:
64.52 years male: 62.74 years female: 66.31 years (2001 est.) |
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: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.2% male: 93.3% female: 93% (1995 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago | Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | 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 branches | Royal Grenada Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard | National Security Service |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | 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, 7 February (1974) | Independence Day, 26 July (1965) |
Nationality | noun:
Grenadian(s) adjective: Grenadian |
noun:
Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian |
Natural hazards | lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November | low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise |
Natural resources | timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors | fish |
Net migration rate | -15.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Herbert PREUDHOMME]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [leader vacant]; New National Party or NNP [George McGUIRE] | although political parties are not banned, none exist |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 89,227 (July 2001 est.) | 310,764 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.06% (2001 est.) | 3.01% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Grenville, Saint George's | Gan, Male |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 57,000 (1997) | 35,000 (1999) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2% | Sunni Muslim |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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 | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
automatic, islandwide telephone system domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links international: new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad |
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 | 27,000 (1997) | 21,000 (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 976 (1997) | 1,290 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (1997) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | volcanic in origin with central mountains | flat, with white sandy beaches |
Total fertility rate | 2.54 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 5.5 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 15% (1997) | NEGL% |
Waterways | none | none |