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Compare Maldives (2007) - Tunisia (2008)

Compare Maldives (2007) z Tunisia (2008)

 Maldives (2007)Tunisia (2008)
 MaldivesTunisia
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 24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)
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.)
0-14 years: 24% (male 1,270,208/female 1,191,619)


15-64 years: 69.2% (male 3,571,228/female 3,538,458)


65 years and over: 6.9% (male 333,801/female 370,844) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish olives, olive oil, grain, tomatoes, citrus fruit, sugar beets, dates, almonds; beef, dairy products
Airports 5 (2007) 30 (2007)
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: 14


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)
total: 16


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 7 (2007)
Area total: 300 sq km


land: 300 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 163,610 sq km


land: 155,360 sq km


water: 8,250 sq km
Area - comparative about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC slightly larger than Georgia
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. Rivalry between French and Italian interests in Tunisia culminated in a French invasion in 1881 and the creation of a protectorate. Agitation for independence in the decades following World War I was finally successful in getting the French to recognize Tunisia as an independent state in 1956. The country's first president, Habib BOURGUIBA, established a strict one-party state. He dominated the country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In November 1987, BOURGUIBA was removed from office and replaced by Zine el Abidine BEN ALI in a bloodless coup. BEN ALI is currently serving his fourth consecutive five-year term as president; the next elections are scheduled for October 2009. Tunisia has long taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising pressure for a more open political society.
Birth rate 34.2 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 15.54 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $508 million (including foreign grants)


expenditures: $671 million (2006 est.)
revenues: $8.355 billion


expenditures: $9.476 billion (2007 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: Tunis


geographic coordinates: 36 48 N, 10 11 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
Coastline 644 km 1,148 km
Constitution adopted 1 January 1998 1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002
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: Tunisian Republic


conventional short form: Tunisia


local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah


local short form: Tunis
Death rate 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 5.17 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $482 million (2006 est.) $18.56 billion (December 2007)
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 Robert F. GODEC


embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis 1053


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [216] 71 107-000


FAX: [216] 71 107-090
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Nejib HACHANA


chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005


telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850


FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $66.83 million (2005) $376.5 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. Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia relative to the region. Real growth, which averaged almost 5% over the past decade, reached 6.3% in 2007 because of development in non-textile manufacturing, a recovery in agricultural production, and strong growth in the services sector. However, Tunisia will need to reach even higher growth levels to create sufficient employment opportunities for an already large number of unemployed as well as the growing population of university graduates. Broader privatization, further liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.
Electricity - consumption 157.1 million kWh (2005) 11.17 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 169 million kWh (2005) 12.85 billion 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: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m


highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
Environment - current issues depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Exchange rates rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002) Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2776 (2007), 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (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 Zine el Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November 1987)


head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17 November 1999)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%, Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%
Exports NA bbl/day 75,060 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities fish clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment
Exports - partners Thailand 33.1%, UK 14.3%, Sri Lanka 11.9%, Japan 10.3%, France 6.9%, Algeria 6.1% (2006) France 28.9%, Italy 20.4%, Germany 8.6%, Spain 6.1%, Libya 4.9%, US 4% (2006)
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 red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 16%


industry: 7%


services: 77% (2006 est.)
agriculture: 11.5%


industry: 30%


services: 58.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 18% (2006 est.) 6.3% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 3 15 N, 73 00 E 34 00 N, 9 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 strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2.3%


highest 10%: 31.5% (2000)
Imports NA bbl/day 85,680 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and capital goods textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners Singapore 23.2%, UAE 15.8%, India 11.1%, Malaysia 7.9%, Thailand 6.9%, Sri Lanka 5.7% (2006) France 25%, Italy 21.9%, Germany 9.7%, Spain 4.9% (2006)
Independence 26 July 1965 (from UK) 20 March 1956 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate -0.9% (2004 est.) 4.1% (2007 est.)
Industries tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages
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.)
total: 22.94 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 25.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 19.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 6% (2005 est.) 2.9% (2007 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 ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC (suspended), OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land NA 3,940 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch High Court Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation
Labor force 101,300 (2004) 3.591 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 22%


industry: 18%


services: 60% (1995)
agriculture: 55%


industry: 23%


services: 22% (1995 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km total: 1,424 km


border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
Land use arable land: 13.33%


permanent crops: 30%


other: 56.67% (2005)
arable land: 17.05%


permanent crops: 13.08%


other: 69.87% (2005)
Languages Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Legal system based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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
bicameral system consists of the Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Advisors (126 seats; 85 members elected by municipal counselors, deputies, mayors, and professional associations and trade unions; 41 members are presidential appointees; members serve six-year terms)


elections: Chamber of Deputies - last held on 24 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009); Chamber of Advisors - last held on 3 July 2005 (next to be held in July 2011)


election results: Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2; Chamber of Advisors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 71 (14 trade union seats vacant (boycotted))
Life expectancy at birth total population: 64.76 years


male: 63.41 years


female: 66.19 years (2007 est.)
total population: 75.34 years


male: 73.6 years


female: 77.21 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)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 74.3%


male: 83.4%


female: 65.3% (2004 census)
Location Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Map references Asia Africa
Maritime claims measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 12 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)
total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 130,475 GRT/91,013 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 4


foreign-owned: 1 (Libya 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) -
Military branches Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Quick Reaction Force, Security Protection Group, Coast Guard (2007) Army, Navy, Republic of Tunisia Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah At'tunisia) (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 5.5% (2005 est.) 1.4% (2006)
National holiday Independence Day, 26 July (1965) Independence Day, 20 March (1956); also the anniversary of BEN ALI's assumption of the presidency, 7 November (1987)
Nationality noun: Maldivian(s)


adjective: Maldivian
noun: Tunisian(s)


adjective: Tunisian
Natural hazards low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise NA
Natural resources fish petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - gas 2,665 km; oil 1,235 km; refined products 353 km (2007)
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 Al-Tajdid Movement [Ahmed IBRAHIM]; Constitutional Democratic Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD (official ruling party) [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI]; Democratic Forum for Labor and Liberties or FDTL [Mustapha Ben JAFAAR]; Green Party for Progress or PVP [Mongi KHAMASSI]; Liberal Social Party or PSL [Mondher THABET]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Maya JERIBI]; Unionist Democratic Union or UDU [Ahmed INOUBLI]
Political pressure groups and leaders various unregistered political parties 18 October Group [collective leadership]; Tunisian League for Human Rights or LTDH [Mokhtar TRIFI]; note - the Islamist Party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is outlawed
Population 369,031 (July 2007 est.) 10,276,158 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 21% (2004) 7.4% (2005 est.)
Population growth rate 2.732% (2007 est.) 0.989% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 7, FM 38, shortwave 2 (2007)
Railways - total: 2,153 km


standard gauge: 471 km 1.435-m gauge


narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)


dual gauge: 8 km 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2006)
Religions Sunni Muslim Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
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.)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.066 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.009 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female


total population: 1.015 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 21 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal except for active government security forces (including the police and the military), people with mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended sentence of more than six months
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: above the African average and continuing to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet access available


domestic: in an effort jumpstart expansion of the fixed-line network, the government has awarded a concession to build and operate a VSAT network with international connectivity; competition between the two mobile-cellular service providers has resulted in lower activation and usage charges and a strong surge in subscribership; overall fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 85 telephones per 100 persons


international: country code - 216; a landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in Medarabtel; 2 international gateway digital switches
Telephones - main lines in use 32,500 (2006) 1.268 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 262,600 (2006) 7.339 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2006) 26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain flat, with white sandy beaches mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges into the Sahara
Total fertility rate 4.78 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.73 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate NEGL% (2003 est.) 13.9% (2007 est.)
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