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Compare Maldives (2007) - Saint Martin (2008)
Compare Maldives (2007) z Saint Martin (2008)
| Maldives (2007) | Saint Martin (2008) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and the capital city*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale* (Male), Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu | - |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 42.9% (male 81,383/female 76,984)
15-64 years: 54% (male 101,699/female 97,518) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,619/female 5,828) (2007 est.) |
- |
| Agriculture - products | coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish | - |
| Airports | 5 (2007) | 1 |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007) |
- |
| Area | total: 300 sq km
land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 54.4 sq km
land: 54.4 sq km water: NEGL |
| Area - comparative | about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC | more than one-third the size of Washington, DC |
| Background | 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 pledged to embark upon democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress has been slow, however, and many promised reforms have been delayed indefinitely. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago. | Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally relinquished St. Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it amongst themselves in 1648. The cultivation of sugar cane introduced slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of St. Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity. |
| Birth rate | 34.2 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
| Budget | revenues: $508 million (including foreign grants)
expenditures: $671 million (2006 est.) |
- |
| Capital | name: Male
geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
name: Marigot
geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight savings: +1 hour |
| Climate | tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) | temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-Novemeber is the hurricane season |
| Coastline | 644 km | 58.9 km (for entire island) |
| Constitution | adopted 1 January 1998 | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
| 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: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin
conventional short form: Saint Martin local long form: Collectivity d'outre mer de Saint-Martin local short form: Saint-Martin |
| Death rate | 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
| Debt - external | $482 million (2006 est.) | - |
| Dependency status | - | overseas collectivity of France |
| 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 (overseas collectivity of France) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed LATHEEF
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195 FAX: [1] (212) 661-6405 |
none (overseas collectivity of France) |
| Disputes - international | none | - |
| Economic aid - recipient | $66.83 million (2005) | - |
| Economy - overview | Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 28% 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 the second leading sector. 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 7% of GDP. 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. Real GDP growth averaged over 7.5% per year for more than a decade. In late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million. As a result of the tsunami, the GDP contracted by about 3.6% in 2005. A rebound in tourism, post-tsunami reconstruction, and development of new resorts helped boost GDP by about 18 percent in 2006. The trade deficit has expanded sharply as a result of high oil prices and imports of construction material. Diversifying beyond tourism and fishing is the major challenge facing the government. Over the longer term 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. | The economy of Saint Martin centers around tourism with 85% of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come to the island each year with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. No significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported, primarily from Mexico and the United States. Saint Martin is reported to have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean. |
| Electricity - consumption | 157.1 million kWh (2005) | - |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
| Electricity - production | 169 million kWh (2005) | - |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m |
| Environment - current issues | depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching | fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
- |
| Ethnic groups | South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs | creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian |
| Exchange rates | rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002) | euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) |
| 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) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president nominated by the Majlis; 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 in 2008) election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.3% |
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Louis-Constant FLEMING (since 16 July 2007) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council election: French president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term election results: Louis-Constant FLEMING unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007 |
| Exports | NA bbl/day | - |
| Exports - commodities | fish | - |
| Exports - partners | Thailand 33.1%, UK 14.3%, Sri Lanka 11.9%, Japan 10.3%, France 6.9%, Algeria 6.1% (2006) | - |
| 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 France is used |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 16%
industry: 7% services: 77% (2006 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15% services: 84% (2000) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 18% (2006 est.) | - |
| Geographic coordinates | 3 15 N, 73 00 E | 18 05 N, 63 57 W |
| 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 | the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the World shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
- |
| Imports | NA bbl/day | - |
| Imports - commodities | petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and capital goods | crude petroleum, food, manufactured items |
| Imports - partners | Singapore 23.2%, UAE 15.8%, India 11.1%, Malaysia 7.9%, Thailand 6.9%, Sri Lanka 5.7% (2006) | US, Mexico (2006) |
| Independence | 26 July 1965 (from UK) | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
| Industrial production growth rate | -0.9% (2004 est.) | - |
| Industries | tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining | tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 53.25 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 52.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 54.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
- |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 6% (2005 est.) | - |
| International organization participation | AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | UPU |
| Irrigated land | NA | - |
| Judicial branch | High Court | - |
| Labor force | 101,300 (2004) | - |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 22%
industry: 18% services: 60% (1995) |
85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 15 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km |
| Land use | arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 30% other: 56.67% (2005) |
- |
| Languages | Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials | French (official language), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles) |
| 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 France, where applicable, apply |
| Legislative branch | unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 members elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 50 |
unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held July 2012) election results: percent of seats by party - UPP 49%, RRR 42.2%, Reussir Saint-Martin 8.9%; seats by party - UPP 16, RRR 6, Reussir Saint-Martin 1 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 64.76 years
male: 63.41 years female: 66.19 years (2007 est.) |
- |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.3% male: 96.2% female: 96.4% (2000 census) |
- |
| Location | Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India | island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico |
| Map references | Asia | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Maritime claims | measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
- |
| Merchant marine | total: 22 ships (1000 GRT or over) 85,935 GRT/114,054 DWT
by type: cargo 17, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: 1 (Greece 1) registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 1, Tuvalu 1) (2007) |
- |
| Military - note | Maldives has no regular armed forces; the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) includes ground forces, the Coast Guard, and a small, undermanned air element; with its small size and with little servable equipment, the MNDF is inadequate to prevent external aggression and is primarily tasked to reinforce the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and ensure security in the exclusive economic zone (2007) | defense is the responsibility of France |
| Military branches | Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Quick Reaction Force, Security Protection Group, Coast Guard (2007) | - |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 5.5% (2005 est.) | - |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 26 July (1965) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848) |
| Nationality | noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian |
- |
| Natural hazards | low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise | - |
| Natural resources | fish | salt |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
| Political parties and leaders | Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Abdul Majeed Abdul BARI]; Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (Maldivian People's Party) or DRP [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM]; Islamic Democratic Party or IDP [Omar NASEER]; Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]; note - political parties were allowed to register in June 2005 | Union Pour le Progres or UPP [Louis Constant FLEMING]; Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]; Reussir Saint-Martin [Jean-Luc HAMLET] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | various unregistered political parties | - |
| Population | 369,031 (July 2007 est.) | 33,102 (October 2004 census) |
| Population below poverty line | 21% (2004) | - |
| Population growth rate | 2.732% (2007 est.) | - |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) | FM 3 (2007) |
| Religions | Sunni Muslim | Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.057 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.964 male(s)/female total population: 1.046 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
- |
| Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age, universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: telephone services have improved; each island now has at least 1 public telephone, and there are mobile cellular networks with expanding subscribership
domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
general assessment: fully integrated access
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Gudaloupe |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 32,500 (2006) | - |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 262,600 (2006) | - |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (2006) | - |
| Terrain | flat, with white sandy beaches | - |
| Total fertility rate | 4.78 children born/woman (2007 est.) | - |
| Transportation - note | - | nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten |
| Unemployment rate | NEGL% (2003 est.) | - |
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