Maldives (2002) | Heard Island and McDonald Islands (2001) | |
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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: 45.3% (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.) |
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Agriculture - products | coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish | - |
Airports | 5 (2001) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002) |
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Area | total: 300 sq km
land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
412 sq km land: 412 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | These uninhabited, barren islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve. |
Birth rate | 37.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $166 million (excluding foreign grants)
expenditures: $192 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million |
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Capital | Male | - |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) | antarctic |
Coastline | 644 km | 101.9 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 |
conventional long form:
Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands |
Currency | rufiyaa (MVR) | - |
Death rate | 7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $237 million (2000 est.) | - |
Dependency status | - | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories |
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 | none (territory of Australia) |
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 | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
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. | no economic activity |
Electricity - consumption | 102.3 million kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - production | 110 million kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m |
lowest point:
Southern Ocean 0 m highest point: Big Ben 2,745 m |
Environment - current issues | depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching | NA |
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 |
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Ethnic groups | South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs | - |
Exchange rates | rufiyaa per US dollar - 11.770 (fixed rate since 1995) | - |
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% |
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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 | 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 | the flag of Australia is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 20%
industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,870 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 7% (2001 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 3 15 N, 73 00 E | 53 06 S, 72 31 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 | primarily used for research stations |
Highways | total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km; note - Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city (1988 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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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 | 61.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 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, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1993) |
Judicial branch | High Court | - |
Labor force | 67,000 (1995) (1995) | - |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995) (1995) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 3.33%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 90% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% |
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 | the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply |
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 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: 62.93 years
male: 61.72 years female: 64.2 years (2002 est.) |
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Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.2% male: 93.3% female: 93% (1995 est.) |
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Location | Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India | Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica |
Map references | Asia | Antarctic Region |
Maritime claims | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
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.) |
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Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
Military branches | National Security Service | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $34.5 million (FY01) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 8.6% (FY01) | - |
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) | - |
Nationality | noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian |
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Natural hazards | low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise | Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben |
Natural resources | fish | none |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
Political parties and leaders | although political parties are not banned, none exist | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | - |
Population | 320,165 (July 2002 est.) | uninhabited (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 2.95% (2002 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | Gan, Male | none; offshore anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) | - |
Radios | 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: 1.05 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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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: satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 21,000 (1999) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,290 (1997) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | - |
Terrain | flat, with white sandy beaches | Heard Island - bleak and mountainous, with a quiescent volcano; McDonald Islands - small and rocky |
Total fertility rate | 5.38 children born/woman (2002 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | NEGL% | - |
Waterways | none | none |