MALDIVES GEOGRAPHY Total area: 300 km2; land area: 300 km2 Comparative area: slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 644 km Maritime claims: Exclusive economic zone: 35-310 nm (defined by geographic coordinates; segment of zone coincides with maritime boundary with India); Territorial sea: 12 nm 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% Environment: 1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls Note: archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean PEOPLE Population: 226,200 (July 1991), growth rate 3.7% (1991) Birth rate: 46 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 72 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 61 years male, 65 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: noun--Maldivian(s); adjective--Maldivian Ethnic divisions: admixtures of Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, and black Religion: Sunni Muslim Language: Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic); English spoken by most government officials Literacy: 92% (male 92%, female 92%) age 15 and over can read and write (1985) Labor force: 66,000 (est.); 25% engaged in fishing industry Organized labor: none GOVERNMENT Long-form name: Republic of Maldives Type: republic Capital: Male Administrative divisions: 19 district (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) 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) Political parties and leaders: no organized political parties; country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries Suffrage: universal at age 21 Elections: President--last held 23 September 1988 (next to be held September 1994); 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) Communists: negligible 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: Maldives does not maintain an embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York; US--the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there; US Consular Agency, Midhath Hilmy, Male; 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 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 has become 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 1974-87, and GDP estimates for 1988 show a further growth of 9% on the strength of a record fish catch and an improved tourist season. GDP: $136 million, per capita $670; real growth rate 9.2% (1988) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (1988 est.) Unemployment rate: NEGL% Budget: revenues $51 million; expenditures $50 million, including capital expenditures of $25 million (1988 est.) Exports: $39.4 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--fish 57%, clothing 39%; partners--Thailand, Western Europe, Sri Lanka Imports: $105.7 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--intermediate and capital goods 47%, consumer goods 42%, petroleum products 11%; partners--Japan, Western Europe, Thailand External debt: $70 million (December 1989) Industrial production: growth rate - 5.0% (1988); accounts for 5% 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 30% 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 63,000 tons (1988 est.) Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $28 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $105 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $14 million Currency: rufiyaa (plural--rufiyaa); 1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laaris Exchange rates: rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1--9.937 (January 1991), 9.509 (1990), 9.0408 (1989), 8.7846 (1988), 9.2230 (1987), 7.1507 (1986), 7.0981 (1985) Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Highways: Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city Ports: Male, Gan Merchant marine: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 53,131 GRT/85,770 DWT; includes 14 cargo, 1 container, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 bulk Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft Airports: 2 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m Telecommunications: minimal domestic and international facilities; 2,804 telephones; stations--2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station DEFENSE FORCES Branches: National Security Service (paramilitary police force) Manpower availability: males 15-49, 50,788; 28,378 fit for military service Defense expenditures: $1.8 million, NA% of GDP (1984 est.)