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Compare Maldives (2002) - Belgium (2005)
Compare Maldives (2002) z Belgium (2005)
| Maldives (2002) | Belgium (2005) | |
 |  | |
| 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 | 10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch: provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions; Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles), Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderen
note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 45.3% (male 74,493; female 70,394)
15-64 years: 51.7% (male 84,548; female 81,092) 65 years and over: 3% (male 4,944; female 4,694) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 16.9% (male 892,995/female 855,177)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 3,435,282/female 3,373,917) 65 years and over: 17.4% (male 745,178/female 1,061,839) (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish | sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk |
| Airports | 5 (2001) | 43 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002) |
total: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.) |
| Area | total: 300 sq km
land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 30,528 sq km
land: 30,278 sq km water: 250 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC | about the size of Maryland |
| Background | 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. | Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. |
| Birth rate | 37.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 10.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $166 million (excluding foreign grants)
expenditures: $192 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million |
revenues: $173.7 billion
expenditures: $174.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.56 billion (2004 est.) |
| Capital | Male | Brussels |
| Climate | tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) | temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy |
| Coastline | 644 km | 66.5 km |
| Constitution | adopted January 1998 | 7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state |
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie |
| Currency | rufiyaa (MVR) | - |
| Death rate | 7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Debt - external | $237 million (2000 est.) | $28.3 billion (1999 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 | chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS
embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | Maldives does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York; permanent representative is Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF | chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York |
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $1.072 billion (2002) |
| Economic aid - recipient | $NA | - |
| Economy - overview | 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. | This modern private enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt is nearly 100% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004. |
| Electricity - consumption | 102.3 million kWh (2000) | 78.82 billion kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 9.1 billion kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 16.7 billion kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - production | 110 million kWh (2000) | 76.58 billion kWh (2002) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m |
lowest point: North Sea 0 m
highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m |
| Environment - current issues | depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching | the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges |
| 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 |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants |
| Ethnic groups | South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs | Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% |
| Exchange rates | rufiyaa per US dollar - 11.770 (fixed rate since 1995) | euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) |
| 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; 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% |
chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch and then approved by parliament note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit |
| Exports | $88 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) | 450,000 bbl/day (2001) |
| Exports - commodities | fish, clothing | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs |
| Exports - partners | US, UK, Sri Lanka, Japan | Germany 19.9%, France 17.2%, Netherlands 11.8%, UK 8.6%, US 6.5%, Italy 5.2% (2004) |
| Fiscal year | calendar 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 | three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (2001 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 20%
industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 1.3%
industry: 25.7% services: 73% (2004 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,870 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $30,600 (2004 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 7% (2001 est.) | 2.6% (2004 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 3 15 N, 73 00 E | 50 50 N, 4 00 E |
| Geography - note | 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 | crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO |
| Heliports | - | 1 (2004 est.) |
| Highways | total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km; note - Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city (1988 est.) |
total: 149,028 km
paved: 116,540 km (including 1,729 km of expressways) unpaved: 32,488 km (2002) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%: 23% (1996) |
| Illicit drugs | - | growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco |
| Imports | $372 million f.o.b. (2000 est.) | 1.042 million bbl/day (2001) |
| Imports - commodities | consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products |
| Imports - partners | Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Canada | Germany 18.4%, Netherlands 17%, France 12.5%, UK 6.8%, Ireland 6.3%, US 5.5% (2004) |
| Independence | 26 July 1965 (from UK) | 4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 4.4% (1996 est.) | 3.5% (2004 est.) |
| Industries | fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining | engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum |
| Infant mortality rate | 61.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (2000 est.) | 1.9% (2004 est.) |
| International organization participation | AsDB, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | 40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.) |
| Judicial branch | High Court | Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the Government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice Council) |
| Labor force | 67,000 (1995) (1995) | 4.75 million (2004 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995) (1995) | agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.) |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,385 km
border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km |
| Land use | arable land: 3.33%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 90% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 23.28%
permanent crops: 0.4% other: 76.32% note: includes Luxembourg (2001) |
| Languages | Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials | Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) |
| Legal system | based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
| 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 |
bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003 (next to be held no later than May 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit 15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH 5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5, VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD 15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR 11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit 23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8 Ecolo 4, other 2 note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 62.93 years
male: 61.72 years female: 64.2 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 78.62 years
male: 75.44 years female: 81.94 years (2005 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.2% male: 93.3% female: 93% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands |
| Map references | Asia | Europe |
| Maritime claims | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit continental shelf: median line with neighbors |
| Merchant marine | total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 51,532 GRT/71,298 DWT
ships by type: cargo 13, short-sea passenger 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 53 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,146,301 GRT/1,588,184 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 17, petroleum tanker 9 foreign-owned: 12 (Denmark 4, France 4, Greece 4) registered in other countries: 101 (2005) |
| Military branches | National Security Service | Land, Naval, and Air Components (2005) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $34.5 million (FY01) | $3.999 billion (2003) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 8.6% (FY01) | 1.3% (2003) |
| Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 74,893 (2002 est.) | - |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 41,672 (2002 est.) | - |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 26 July (1965) | 21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I |
| Nationality | noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian |
noun: Belgian(s)
adjective: Belgian |
| Natural hazards | low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise | flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes |
| Natural resources | fish | construction materials, silica sand, carbonates |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Pipelines | - | gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2004) |
| Political parties and leaders | although political parties are not banned, none exist | Flemish parties: Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo VANDEURZEN]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS]; GROEN! (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; New Flemish Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Socialist Party.Alternative or SP.A [Caroline GENNEZ]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now associated with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Frank VANHECKE]
Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX, Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center of CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Reformist Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | none | Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants |
| Population | 320,165 (July 2002 est.) | 10,364,388 (July 2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | 4% (1989 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 2.95% (2002 est.) | 0.15% (2005 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Gan, Male | Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) | FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios | 35,000 (1999) | - |
| Railways | 0 km | total: 3,521 km
standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2004) |
| Religions | Sunni Muslim | Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% |
| 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: 1.05 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
| Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
| 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: satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: country code - 32; 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 21,000 (1999) | 5,120,400 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,290 (1997) | 8,135,500 (2002) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) |
| Terrain | flat, with white sandy beaches | flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast |
| Total fertility rate | 5.38 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.64 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | NEGL% | 12% (first half, 2004) |
| Waterways | none | 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003) |
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