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Compare Maldives (2008) - Aruba (2002)
Compare Maldives (2008) z Aruba (2002)
| Maldives (2008) | Aruba (2002) | |
 |  | |
| 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 | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| 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: 21% (male 7,635; female 7,169)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 23,270; female 24,906) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 3,081; female 4,380) (2002 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish | aloes; livestock; fish |
| Airports | 5 (2007) | 1 (2001) |
| 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
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
| 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: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than 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 slow to come to fruition. Nonetheless, political parties were legalized in 2005. A constituent assembly - termed the "special majlis" - has pledged to complete the drafting of a new constitution by the end of 2007 and first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system are slated for November 2008. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago. | Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. |
| Birth rate | 34.2 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 12.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $508 million (including foreign grants)
expenditures: $671 million (2006 est.) |
revenues: $135.81 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
| Capital | name: Male
geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Oranjestad |
| Climate | tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation |
| Coastline | 644 km | 68.5 km |
| Constitution | adopted 1 January 1998 | 1 January 1986 |
| 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: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
| Currency | - | Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) |
| Death rate | 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Debt - external | $482 million (2006 est.) | $285 million (1996) |
| Dependency status | - | part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs |
| 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: Consul General Deborah A. BOLTON
embassy: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6194 FAX: [1] (212) 599-6195 |
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | $66.83 million (2005) | $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996 |
| 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 the economy recover quickly. The trade deficit has expanded sharply as a result of high oil prices and imports of construction material. Diversifying beyond tourism and fishing and increasing employment are the major challenges 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. | Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. The government's goal of balancing the budget within two years will hamper expenditures, as will the decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11 September terrorist attacks. |
| Electricity - consumption | 157.1 million kWh (2005) | 418.5 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - production | 169 million kWh (2005) | 450 million kWh (2000) |
| 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: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 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, 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 | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% |
| Exchange rates | rufiyaa per US dollar - NA (2007), 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003) | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986) |
| 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: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001); deputy prime minister NA cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA% |
| Exports | 1,517 bbl/day (2004) | $2.58 billion f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2000) |
| Exports - commodities | fish | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment |
| Exports - partners | Thailand 33.1%, UK 14.3%, Sri Lanka 11.9%, Japan 10.3%, France 6.9%, Algeria 6.1% (2006) | US 42%, Colombia 20%, Netherlands 12% (1999) |
| 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 | blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner |
| GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (1999 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 16%
industry: 7% services: 77% (2006 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
| GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 5.5% (2007 est.) | 2.5% (2000) |
| Geographic coordinates | 3 15 N, 73 00 E | 12 30 N, 69 58 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 | a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) |
| Highways | - | total: 800 km
paved: 513 km unpaved: 287 km note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Illicit drugs | - | transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity |
| Imports | 6,390 bbl/day (2004) | $2.61 billion f.o.b. (2000) |
| Imports - commodities | petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and capital goods | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners | Singapore 23.2%, UAE 15.8%, India 11.1%, Malaysia 7.9%, Thailand 6.9%, Sri Lanka 5.6% (2006) | US 63%, Netherlands 11%, Netherlands Antilles 3%, Japan (1999) |
| Independence | 26 July 1965 (from UK) | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| Industrial production growth rate | -0.9% (2004 est.) | NA% |
| Industries | tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining |
| 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.) |
6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 6% (2005 est.) | 4% (2000) |
| International organization participation | ADB, 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 | Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | NA |
| Irrigated land | NA | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Judicial branch | High Court | Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch) |
| Labor force | 101,300 (2004) | 41,501 |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 22%
industry: 18% services: 60% (1995) |
most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 30% other: 56.67% (2005) |
arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (1998 est.) |
| Languages | Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials | Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish |
| Legal system | based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence |
| 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 Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%, PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP 12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 64.76 years
male: 63.41 years female: 66.19 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 78.67 years
male: 75.32 years female: 82.19 years (2002 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.3% male: 96.2% female: 96.4% (2000 census) |
definition: NA
total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela |
| 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 |
territorial sea: 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) |
note: there is one foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1 (2002 est.) |
| 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 the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
| Military branches | Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Quick Reaction Force, Security Protection Group, Coast Guard (2007) | no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 5.5% (2005 est.) | - |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 26 July (1965) | Flag Day, 18 March |
| Nationality | noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian |
noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
| Natural hazards | low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt |
| Natural resources | fish | NEGL; white sandy beaches |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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 | Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Alliance or Aliansa [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; Concentration for the Liberation of Aruba or CLA [leader NA]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA [Urbana LOPEZ]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | various unregistered political parties | NA |
| Population | 369,031 (July 2007 est.) | 70,441 (July 2002 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 21% (2004) | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 2.732% (2007 est.) | 0.59% (2002 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | - | Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios | - | 50,000 (1997) |
| Railways | - | 0 km |
| Religions | Sunni Muslim | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish |
| 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: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 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 rapidly expanding subscribership
domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service international: country code - 960; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: more than adequate international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 32,500 (2006) | 33,000 (1997) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 262,600 (2006) | 3,402 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (2006) | 1 (1997) |
| Terrain | flat, with white sandy beaches | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation |
| Total fertility rate | 4.78 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | NEGL% (2003 est.) | 0.6% |
| Waterways | - | none |
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