Isle of Man (2006) | Maldives (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with its own elections | 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: 17.3% (male 6,669/female 6,350)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 24,884/female 24,678) 65 years and over: 17% (male 5,197/female 7,663) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 43.9% (male 78,794/female 74,505)
15-64 years: 53% (male 94,488/female 90,624) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,339/female 5,356) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry | coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish |
Airports | 1 (2006) | 5 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
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: 572 sq km
land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 300 sq km
land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC | about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crown dependency, but is not part of the UK. | The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. It 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 islands' 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 | 11.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 35.43 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $485 million
expenditures: $463 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) |
revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)
expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (2002 est.) |
Capital | name: Douglas
geographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 28 W time difference: UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Male |
Climate | temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third of the time | tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) |
Coastline | 160 km | 644 km |
Constitution | unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution | adopted 1 January 1998 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Isle of Man |
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje |
Death rate | 11.19 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 7.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $281 million (2003 est.) |
Dependency status | British crown dependency | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (British crown dependency) | 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 (British crown dependency) | chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | NA (1995) |
Economy - overview | Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government offers incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island; this has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets. | 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. In late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 115.7 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | - | 124.4 million kWh (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 621 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m |
Environment - current issues | waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution | 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 | Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton | South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs |
Exchange rates | Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.55 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001) | rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002), 12.24 (2001), 11.77 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K. HADDACKS (since 17 October 2005)
head of government: Chief Minister Donald GELLING (since 14 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch for a five-year term; the chief minister is elected by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2004 (next to be held December 2006) election results: Donald GELLING elected chief minister by the Tynwald; note - Richard CORKILL resigned 2 December 2004 |
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 | NA |
Exports - commodities | tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb | fish, clothing |
Exports - partners | UK (2004) | US 26.5%, Thailand 23.5%, Sri Lanka 12.3%, Japan 11.7%, UK 9.8%, Germany 4.9% (2004) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used | 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 - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 20%
industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 6.3% NA% | 2.3% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 54 15 N, 4 30 W | 3 15 N, 73 00 E |
Geography - note | one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a bird sanctuary | 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% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | $NA | NA |
Imports - commodities | timber, fertilizers, fish | petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, intermediate and capital goods |
Imports - partners | UK (2004) | Singapore 24.9%, Sri Lanka 10.6%, UAE 10.3%, India 10.2%, Malaysia 7.6%, Bahrain 5.4% (2004) |
Independence | none (British crown dependency) | 26 July 1965 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3.2% (FY96/97) | 4.4% (1996 est.) |
Industries | financial services, light manufacturing, tourism | fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining |
Infant mortality rate | total: 5.82 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
total: 56.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 55.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 57.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.7% (2003 est.) | 1% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | UPU | 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 | 0 sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor) | High Court |
Labor force | 39,690 (2001) | 88,000 (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%, public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%, entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10% | agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 0% other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (2002) |
arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 16.67% other: 70% (2001) |
Languages | English, Manx Gaelic | Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials |
Legal system | English common law and Manx statute | based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (an 11-member body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and eight others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held November 2006) election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3, independents 19 |
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: 78.49 years
male: 75.14 years female: 82.02 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 64.06 years
male: 62.76 years female: 65.42 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.2% male: 97.1% female: 97.3% (2003 est.) |
Location | Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland | Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India |
Map references | Europe | Asia |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 305 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,266,229 GRT/13,792,927 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 65, chemical tanker 53, container 16, liquefied gas 38, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 74, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 9, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 213 (Cyprus 1, Denmark 53, Estonia 2, France 2, Germany 56, Greece 45, Italy 5, Japan 4, Monaco 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 27, Singapore 7, Sweden 1, Turkey 3, US 3) registered in other countries: 9 (Antigua and Barbuda 2, Liberia 5, Marshall Islands 1, NZ 1) (2006) |
total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 57,118 GRT/72,831 DWT
by type: cargo 12, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2005) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | - | National Security Service includes Security Branch (ground forces), Air Element, Coast Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $41.1 million (2004) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 5.5% (2004) |
National holiday | Tynwald Day, 5 July | Independence Day, 26 July (1965) |
Nationality | noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx |
noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian |
Natural hazards | NA | low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise |
Natural resources | none | fish |
Net migration rate | 5.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Alliance for Progressive Government; Man Labor Party; Man Nationalist Party (branch of the British National Party)
note: most members sit as independents |
although political parties are not banned, none exist |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | none |
Population | 75,441 (July 2006 est.) | 349,106 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 0.52% (2006 est.) | 2.82% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Male |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Railways | total: 65 km
standard guage: 7 km 1.067-m guage (7 km electrified) narrow guage: 58 km 0.914-m guage (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2006) |
- |
Religions | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends | Sunni Muslim |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 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 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 16 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable |
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 | 51,000 (1999) | 28,700 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 41,900 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | hills in north and south bisected by central valley | flat, with white sandy beaches |
Total fertility rate | 1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 0.6% (2004 est.) | NEGL% (2003 est.) |