Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Indian Ocean (2003) - Maldives (2004)

Compare Indian Ocean (2003) z Maldives (2004)

 Indian Ocean (2003)Maldives (2004)
 Indian OceanMaldives
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: 44.4% (male 77,424; female 73,191)


15-64 years: 52.6% (male 91,045; female 87,331)


65 years and over: 3% (male 5,207; female 5,132) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products - coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Airports - 5 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways - total: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Area total: 68.556 million sq km


note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies
total: 300 sq km


land: 300 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative about 5.5 times the size of the US about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Background The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south. 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.
Birth rate - 36.06 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget - revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)


expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (2002 est.)
Capital - Male
Climate northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Coastline 66,526 km 644 km
Constitution - adopted January 1998
Country name - 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 - 7.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external - $281 million (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US - 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: Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF


chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195
Disputes - international some maritime disputes (see littoral states) none
Economic aid - recipient - NA (1995)
Economy - overview The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. 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.
Electricity - consumption - 108.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports - 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production - 117 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m


highest point: sea level 0 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m
Environment - current issues endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea 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 - 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002), 12.2421 (2001), 11.77 (2000), 11.77 (1999)
Executive branch - 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: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president


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%
Exports - NA (2001)
Exports - commodities - fish, clothing
Exports - partners - US 32.1%, Thailand 17%, Sri Lanka 13.4%, Japan 10.7%, UK 9.8%, Indonesia 4.5% (2003)
Fiscal year - calendar year
Flag description - 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 - $1.25 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector - agriculture: 20%


industry: 18%


services: 62% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate - 2.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 20 00 S, 80 00 E 3 15 N, 73 00 E
Geography - note major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait 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
Highways - total: NA km


paved: NA km


unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
Imports - NA (2001)
Imports - commodities - consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
Imports - partners - Singapore 24.8%, Sri Lanka 13.8%, India 10.2%, Malaysia 7.6%, UAE 7.6%, Thailand 5.1% (2003)
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 - total: 58.32 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 57.43 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 59.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) - 1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation - 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
Irrigated land - NA sq km
Judicial branch - High Court
Labor force - 88,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation - agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)
Land boundaries - 0 km
Land use - arable land: 13.33%


permanent crops: 16.67%


other: 70% (2001)
Languages - Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Legal system - 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 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50
Life expectancy at birth - total population: 63.68 years


male: 62.41 years


female: 65.01 years (2004 est.)
Literacy - definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.2%


male: 97.1%


female: 97.3% (2003 est.)
Location body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Map references Political Map of the World Asia
Maritime claims - measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,164 GRT/68,973 DWT


by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, short-sea/passenger 1


foreign-owned: North Korea 1


registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.)
Military branches - National Security Service: comprising Security Branch (ground forces), Air Element; Coast Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $43.1 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 8.6% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 81,221 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 45,142 (2004 est.)
National holiday - Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Nationality - noun: Maldivian(s)


adjective: Maldivian
Natural hazards occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
Natural resources oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules fish
Net migration rate - 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Political parties and leaders - although political parties are not banned, none exist
Political pressure groups and leaders - none
Population - 339,330 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line - NA
Population growth rate - 2.86% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa) Gan, Male
Radio broadcast stations - AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
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: 1.02 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage - 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system - general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities


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)
Telephones - main lines in use - 28,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular - 41,900 (2002)
Television broadcast stations - 1 (1997)
Terrain surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge flat, with white sandy beaches
Total fertility rate - 5.14 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate - NEGL% (2003 est.)
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.