SPAMfighter information about
Maldives
| The data on this page is obtained from The World Factbook. |
 Communications information
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| SPAMfighters: | 89 |
| Internet users: | 19,000 (2005) |
| Internet hosts: | 1,357 (2006) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2000) |
| Internet country code: | .mv |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 32,300 (2005) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 153,400 (2005) |
| Telephone system: |
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) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998) |
| Radios: | 35,000 (1999) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 1 (2006) |
| Televisions: | 10,000 (1999) |
 Geographical information
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| Location: | Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India |
| Geographic coordinates: | 3 15 N, 73 00 E |
| Map references: | Asia |
| Area: |
total: 300 sq km land: 300 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 644 km |
| Maritime claims: |
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) |
| Terrain: | flat, with white sandy beaches |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m |
| Natural resources: | fish |
| Land use: |
arable land: 13.33% permanent crops: 30% other: 56.67% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | NA |
| Natural hazards: | low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise |
| Environment - current issues: | depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching |
| Environment - international 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 |
| 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 |
 People information
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| Population: | 359,008 (July 2006 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 80,113/female 75,763) 15-64 years: 53.5% (male 98,040/female 94,029) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,477/female 5,586) (2006 est.) |
| Median age: |
total: 17.9 years male: 17.8 years female: 18 years (2006 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.78% (2006 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 34.81 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Sex ratio: |
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: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: |
total: 54.89 deaths/1,000 live births male: 54.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 55.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 64.41 years male: 63.08 years female: 65.8 years (2006 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 4.9 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.1% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | less than 100 (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: |
noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian |
| Ethnic groups: | South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs |
| Religions: | Sunni Muslim |
| Languages: | Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.2% male: 97.1% female: 97.3% (2003 est.) |
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Governmental information
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| Country name: |
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Maldives local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa local short form: Dhivehi Raajje |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: |
name: Male geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 31 E time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| 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 |
| Independence: | 26 July 1965 (from UK) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 26 July (1965) |
| Constitution: | adopted 1 January 1998 |
| Legal system: | based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: | 21 years of age; universal |
| 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); 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% |
| 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 |
| Judicial branch: | High Court |
| Political parties and leaders: | political parties were allowed to register in June 2005; the first entrants are: 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] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | various unregistered political parties |
| 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, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
| 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 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | the United States does not have an embassy in Maldives; the United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there |
| 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 |
 Economical information
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| Economy - overview: | 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. Over the past decade, real GDP growth averaged over 7.5% per year. As a result of the tsunami, the GDP contracted by about 5.5% in 2005. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $1.25 billion (2002 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $817 million |
| GDP - real growth rate: | -3.6% (2005 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $3,900 (2002 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 20% industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.) |
| Labor force: | 88,000 (2000) |
| Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 22% industry: 18% services: 60% (1995) |
| Unemployment rate: | NEGL% (2003 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 21% NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 6% (2005 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $265 million (excluding foreign grants) expenditures: $362 million; including capital expenditures of $80 million (2004 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish |
| Industries: | fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining |
| Industrial production growth rate: | -0.9% (2004 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 135 million kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 125.6 million kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2003) |
| Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2003 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 4,000 bbl/day (2003 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | NA bbl/day |
| Oil - imports: | NA bbl/day |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2003 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2003 est.) |
| Exports: | $123 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | fish, clothing |
| Exports - partners: | Japan 22.8%, Thailand 22.7%, Sri Lanka 16.4%, UK 12.6%, Singapore 5.8%, Germany 4.8%, France 4.3% (2005) |
| Imports: | $567 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, textiles, clothing, intermediate and capital goods |
| Imports - partners: | Singapore 24.1%, UAE 15.7%, India 11.3%, Malaysia 7.2%, Sri Lanka 5.7%, UK 4.5% (2005) |
| Debt - external: | $304 million (2004 est.) |
| Currency (code): | rufiyaa (MVR) |
| Currency code: | MVR |
| Exchange rates: | rufiyaa per United States dollar - 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002), 12.24 (2001) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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Transportations information
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| Airports: | 5 (2006) |
| Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2006) |
| Roadways: |
total: 88 km paved roads: 88 km - 60 km in Male; 14 km on Addu Atolis; 14 km on Laamu note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006) |
| Merchant marine: |
total: 17 ships (1000 GRT or over) 67,149 GRT/87,220 DWT by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 2 registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2006) |
| Ports and terminals: | Male |
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Military information
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| Military branches: | National Security Service: Security Branch (ground forces), Air Element, Coast Guard |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age (est.) (2004) |
| Manpower available for military service: |
males age 18-49: 71,774 females age 18-49: 69,229 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 18-49: 56,687 females age 18-49: 54,454 (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $45.07 million (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 5.5% (2005 est.) |
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Information about transnational issues
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| Disputes - international: | none |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons: | IDPs: 11,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2005) |
