Compare Western Sahara (2005) - Maldives (2005)

Compare Western Sahara (2005) z Maldives (2005)

	Western Sahara (2005)	Maldives (2005)

Administrative divisions	none (under de facto control of Morocco)	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: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA	0-14 years: 43.9% (male 78,794/female 74,505) 15-64 years: 53% (male 94,488/female 90,624) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,339/female 5,356) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads)	coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Airports	11 (2004 est.)	5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)	total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)	total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 266,000 sq km land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 300 sq km land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about the size of Colorado	about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	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.	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 have pledged to embark upon democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.
Birth rate	NA births/1,000 population	35.43 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: NA expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA	revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants) expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (2002 est.)
Capital	none	Male
Climate	hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew	tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Coastline	1,110 km	644 km
Constitution	-	adopted 1 January 1998
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara	conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
Death rate	NA deaths/1,000 population	7.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	NA	$281 million (2003 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	none	the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there
Diplomatic representation in the US	none	chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195
Disputes - international	Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals	none
Economic aid - recipient	NA	NA (1995)
Economy - overview	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.	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. 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 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 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. In late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million.
Electricity - consumption	83.7 million kWh (2002)	115.7 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2002)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2002)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	90 million kWh (2002)	124.4 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m highest point: unnamed location 463 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m
Environment - current issues	sparse water and lack of arable land	depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
Environment - international agreements	party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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
Ethnic groups	Arab, Berber	South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs
Exchange rates	Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000)	rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002), 12.24 (2001), 11.77 (2000)
Executive branch	none	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 elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the 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 NA 2008) election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%
Exports	NA	NA
Exports - commodities	phosphates 62%	fish, clothing
Exports - partners	Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts	US 26.5%, Thailand 23.5%, Sri Lanka 12.3%, Japan 11.7%, UK 9.8%, Germany 4.9% (2004)
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 - composition by sector	agriculture: NA industry: NA services: 40% (1996 est.)	agriculture: 20% industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - NA	purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	NA	2.3% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	24 30 N, 13 00 W	3 15 N, 73 00 E
Geography - note	the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas	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
Highways	total: 6,200 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)	total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Imports	NA	NA
Imports - commodities	fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs	petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, intermediate and capital goods
Imports - partners	Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts	Singapore 24.9%, Sri Lanka 10.6%, UAE 10.3%, India 10.2%, Malaysia 7.6%, Bahrain 5.4% (2004)
Independence	-	26 July 1965 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate	NA	4.4% (1996 est.)
Industries	phosphate mining, handicrafts	fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Infant mortality rate	total: NA male: NA female: NA	total: 56.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 55.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 57.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	NA	1% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	none	AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land	NA sq km	NA sq km
Judicial branch	-	High Court
Labor force	12,000	88,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation	animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%	agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)
Land boundaries	total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0.02% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.98% (2001)	arable land: 13.33% permanent crops: 16.67% other: 70% (2001)
Languages	Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic	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
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 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50
Life expectancy at birth	total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years	total population: 64.06 years male: 62.76 years female: 65.42 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.2% male: 97.1% female: 97.3% (2003 est.)
Location	Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco	Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Map references	Africa	Asia
Maritime claims	contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue	measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine	-	total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 57,118 GRT/72,831 DWT by type: cargo 12, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
Military branches	-	National Security Service includes Security Branch (ground forces), Air Element, Coast Guard
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$41.1 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	5.5% (2004)
National holiday	-	Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Nationality	noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian	noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian
Natural hazards	hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility	low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
Natural resources	phosphates, iron ore	fish
Net migration rate	-	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders	-	although political parties are not banned, none exist
Political pressure groups and leaders	none	none
Population	273,008 (July 2005 est.)	349,106 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	NA
Population growth rate	NA	2.82% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)	Male
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Religions	Muslim	Sunni Muslim
Sex ratio	NA	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 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage	none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed	21 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: sparse and limited system domestic: NA international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco	general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	about 2,000 (1999 est.)	28,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	0 (1999)	41,900 (2002)
Television broadcast stations	NA	1 (1997)
Terrain	mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast	flat, with white sandy beaches
Total fertility rate	NA children born/woman	5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA	NEGL% (2003 est.)

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