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Compare Maldives (2008) - Western Sahara (2003)
Compare Maldives (2008) z Western Sahara (2003)
| Maldives (2008) | Western Sahara (2003) | |
 |  | |
| 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 (under de facto control of Morocco) |
| 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: NA%
15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% (2003 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) |
| Airports | 5 (2007) | 11 (2002) |
| 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: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2002) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007) |
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2002) |
| Area | total: 300 sq km
land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC | about the size of Colorado |
| 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. | Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. |
| Birth rate | 34.2 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $508 million (including foreign grants)
expenditures: $671 million (2006 est.) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
| Capital | name: Male
geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
none |
| Climate | tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) | hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew |
| Coastline | 644 km | 1,110 km |
| Constitution | adopted 1 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: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara |
| Currency | - | Moroccan dirham (MAD) |
| Death rate | 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
| Debt - external | $482 million (2006 est.) | $NA |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Disputes - international | none | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, but sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties have rejected other proposals; Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years; Morocco allowed Spanish fishermen to fish temporarily off the coast of Western Sahara after an oil spill soiled Spanish fishing grounds |
| Economic aid - recipient | $66.83 million (2005) | $NA |
| 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. | Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. |
| Electricity - consumption | 157.1 million kWh (2005) | 83.7 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production | 169 million kWh (2005) | 90 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m |
lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
| Environment - current issues | depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching | sparse water and lack of arable land |
| 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: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Ethnic groups | South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs | Arab, Berber |
| Exchange rates | rufiyaa per US dollar - NA (2007), 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003) | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 11.584 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997) |
| 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% |
none |
| Exports | 1,517 bbl/day (2004) | NA (2001) |
| Exports - commodities | fish | phosphates 62% |
| Exports - partners | Thailand 33.1%, UK 14.3%, Sri Lanka 11.9%, Japan 10.3%, France 6.9%, Algeria 6.1% (2006) | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts |
| 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 | - |
| GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $NA |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 16%
industry: 7% services: 77% (2006 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: 40% (1996 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $NA |
| GDP - real growth rate | 5.5% (2007 est.) | NA% |
| Geographic coordinates | 3 15 N, 73 00 E | 24 30 N, 13 00 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 waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas |
| Highways | - | total: 6,200 km
paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Imports | 6,390 bbl/day (2004) | NA (2001) |
| Imports - commodities | petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and capital goods | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners | Singapore 23.2%, UAE 15.8%, India 11.1%, Malaysia 7.9%, Thailand 6.9%, Sri Lanka 5.6% (2006) | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2000) |
| Independence | 26 July 1965 (from UK) | - |
| 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 | phosphate mining, handicrafts |
| 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: NA%
male: NA% female: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 6% (2005 est.) | NA% |
| 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 | none |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
| Judicial branch | High Court | - |
| Labor force | 101,300 (2004) | 12,000 |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 22%
industry: 18% services: 60% (1995) |
animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km |
| Land use | arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 30% other: 56.67% (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
| Languages | Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials | Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic |
| Legal system | based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; 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 |
- |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 64.76 years
male: 63.41 years female: 66.19 years (2007 est.) |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2003 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: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco |
| 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 |
contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue |
| 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) | - |
| Military branches | Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Quick Reaction Force, Security Protection Group, Coast Guard (2007) | - |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $NA |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 5.5% (2005 est.) | NA% |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 26 July (1965) | - |
| Nationality | noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian |
noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawian, Sahraouian |
| Natural hazards | low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility |
| Natural resources | fish | phosphates, iron ore |
| 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 | - |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | various unregistered political parties | none |
| Population | 369,031 (July 2007 est.) | 261,794 (July 2003 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 21% (2004) | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 2.732% (2007 est.) | NA% (2003 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | - | Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Railways | - | 0 km |
| Religions | Sunni Muslim | Muslim |
| 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.) |
NA (2003 est.) |
| Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed |
| 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: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA international: tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 32,500 (2006) | about 2,000 (1999 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 262,600 (2006) | 0 (1999) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (2006) | NA |
| Terrain | flat, with white sandy beaches | mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast |
| Total fertility rate | 4.78 children born/woman (2007 est.) | NA children born/woman (2003 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | NEGL% (2003 est.) | NA% |
| Waterways | - | none |
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