*Maldives, Geography

Location:
  South Asia, in the Indian Ocean off the southwest coast of India
Map references:
  Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  300 km2
 land area:
  300 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
  0 km
Coastline:
  644 km
Maritime claims:
 exclusive economic zone:
  35-310 nm as defined by geographic coordinates; segment of zone coincides
  with maritime boundary with India
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  none
Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy,
  southwest monsoon (June to August)
Terrain:   flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters
Natural resources:
  fish
Land use:
 arable land:
  10%
 permanent crops:
  0%
 meadows and pastures:
  3%
 forest and woodland:
  3%
 other:
  84%
Irrigated land:
  NA km2
Environment:
  1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls
Note:
  archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in
  Indian Ocean

*Maldives, People

Population:
  243,094 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  3.64% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  44.34 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  7.91 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  57.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  63.86 years
 male:
  62.5 years
 female:
  65.28 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  6.36 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Maldivian(s)
 adjective:
  Maldivian
Ethnic divisions:
  Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African
Religions:
  Sunni Muslim
Languages:
  Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic), English spoken by
  most government officials
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
 total population:
  92%
 male:
  92%
 female:
  92%
Labor force:
  66,000 (est.)
 by occupation:
  fishing industry 25%

*Maldives, Government

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Republic of Maldives
 conventional short form:
  Maldives
Digraph:
  MV
Type:
  republic
Capital:
  Male
Administrative divisions:
  19 districts (atolls); Aliff, Baa, Daalu, Faafu, Gaafu Aliff, Gaafu Daalu,
  Haa Aliff, Haa Daalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Laviyani, Meemu, Naviyani, Noonu, Raa,
  Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Waavu
Independence:
  26 July 1965 (from UK)
Constitution:
  4 June 1964
Legal system:
  based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in
  commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Political parties and leaders:
  no organized political parties; country governed by the Didi clan for the
  past eight centuries
Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal
Elections:
 President:
  last held 23 September 1988 (next to be held September 1993); results -
  President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected
 Citizens' Council:
  last held on 7 December 1989 (next to be held 7 December 1994); results -
  percent of vote NA; seats - (48 total, 40 elected)
Executive branch:
  president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
  unicameral Citizens' Council (Majlis)
Judicial branch:
  High Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State and Head of Government:
  President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978)
Member of:
  AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF,
  IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
  Maldives does not maintain an embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission
  in New York
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic
  visits there
 consular agency:
  Midhath Hilmy, Male

*Maldives, Government

 telephone:
  2581
Flag:
  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

*Maldives, Economy

Overview:
  The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and shipping. Agriculture is
  limited to the production of a few subsistence crops that provide only 10%
  of food requirements. Fishing is the largest industry, employing 25% of the
  work force and accounting for over 60% of exports; it is also an important
  source of government revenue. During the 1980s tourism became one of the
  most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. In 1988 industry
  accounted for about 5% of GDP. Real GDP is officially estimated to have
  increased by about 10% annually during the period 1974-90.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $140 million (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  4.7% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
  $620 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  11.5% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  NEGL%
Budget:
  revenues $52 million (excluding foreign transfers); expenditures $83
  million, including capital expenditures of $39 million (1991 est.)
Exports:
  $53.7 million (f.o.b., 1991)
 commodities:
  fish, clothing
 partners:
  US, UK, Sri Lanka
Imports:
  $150.9 million (c.i.f., 1991)
 commodities:
  consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
 partners:
  Singapore, Germany, Sri Lanka, India
External debt:
  $90 million (1991)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 24.0% (1990); accounts for 6% of GDP
Electricity:
  5,000 kW capacity; 11 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries:
  fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, some coconut
  processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope), handicrafts
Agriculture:
  accounts for almost 25% of GDP (including fishing); fishing more important
  than farming; limited production of coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; most
  staple foods must be imported; fish catch of 67,000 tons (1990 est.)
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $28 million; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $125 million; OPEC
  bilateral aid (1979-89), $14 million
Currency:
  1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laaris
Exchange rates:
  rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 - 10.506 (January 1993), 10.569 (1992), 10.253 (1991),
  9.509 (1990), 9.0408 (1989), 8.7846 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year

*Maldives, Communications

Highways:
  Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city
Ports:
  Male, Gan
Merchant marine:
  14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 38,848 GRT/58,496 DWT; includes 12
  cargo, 1 container, 1 oil tanker
Airports:
 total:
  2
 useable:
  2  with permanent-surface runways:
  2
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  2
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  0
Telecommunications:
  minimal domestic and international facilities; 2,804 telephones; broadcast
  stations - 2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station

*Maldives, Defense Forces

Branches:
  National Security Service (paramilitary police force)
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 53,730; fit for military service 30,014 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP