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South Asia
Page last updated: April 24, 2024
A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887. The islands became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated Maldives' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following political demonstrations in the capital Male in August 2003, GAYOOM and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Political parties were legalized in 2005.
In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" - finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM in August 2008. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the GAYOOM regime. In early February 2012, after several weeks of street protests in response to his ordering the arrest of a top judge, NASHEED purportedly resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. A government-appointed Commission of National Inquiry concluded there was no evidence of a coup, but NASHEED contends that police and military personnel forced him to resign. NASHEED, WAHEED, and Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ran in the 2013 elections with YAMEEN ultimately winning the presidency after three rounds of voting. In September 2018, YAMEEN lost his reelection bid to Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH, a parliamentarian of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who had the support of a coalition of four parties that came together to defeat YAMEEN. In April 2019, SOLIH's MDP won 65 of 87 seats in parliament. YAMEEN was arrested and jailed in December 2022 on corruption charges. Maldives fourth democratic election was held in September 2023. The winner, Male City Mayor Dr. Mohamed MUIZZU, campaigned on a platform of Maldivian sovereignty, vowing to remove Indian military personnel from the country. MUIZZU represents a joint Progressive Pary of Maldives and People's National Congress (PPM/PNC) coalition.
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
03°15' N, 73°00' E
Asia
Total: 298 km²
Land: 298 km²
Water: 0 km²
About 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Area comparison map:
Total: 0 km
644 km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
Tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Flat coral atolls, with white sandy beaches; sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive Ridge
Highest point: 8th tee, golf course, Villingi Island 5 m
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 2 m
Fish
Agricultural land: 23.3% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 10% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 10% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 3.3% (2018 est.)
Forest: 3% (2018 est.)
Other: 73.7% (2018 est.)
0 km² (2012)
About a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City; the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago
Tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise
Smallest Asian country; archipelago of 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean
521,021 (2023 est.)
Noun: Maldivian(s)
Adjective: Maldivian
Homogeneous mixture of Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, Australasian, and African resulting from historical changes in regional hegemony over marine trade routes
Dhivehi (official, closely related to Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English (spoken by most government officials)
Sunni Muslim (official)
0-14 years: 22.25% (male 44,185/female 42,495)
15-64 years: 71.97% (male 146,154/female 134,233)
65 years and over: 5.78% (2023 est.) (male 9,866/female 12,635)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 35.6
Youth dependency ratio: 29.5
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.2
Potential support ratio: 16.2 (2021 est.)
Total: 31.3 years (2023 est.)
Male: 30.8 years
Female: 31.9 years
-0.17% (2023 est.)
15.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
4.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
-12.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
About a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City; the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago
Urban population: 42% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 2.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
177,000 MALE (capital) (2018)
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
23.2 years (2016/17 est.)
Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
57 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Total: 25 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 28 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 21.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Total population: 77.2 years (2023 est.)
Male: 74.8 years
Female: 79.7 years
1.7 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.83 (2023 est.)
18.8% (2016/17)
Improved: urban: 99% of population
Rural: 100% of population
Total: 99.6% of population
Unimproved: urban: 1% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0.4% of population (2020 est.)
11.4% of GDP (2020)
2.05 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
4.3 beds/1,000 population
Improved: urban: 100% of population
Rural: 99.1% of population
Total: 99.5% of population
Unimproved: urban: 0% of population
Rural: 0.9% of population
Total: 0.5% of population (2020 est.)
8.6% (2016)
Total: 1.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer: 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 0.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 25.2% (2020 est.)
Male: 44.4% (2020 est.)
Female: 6% (2020 est.)
14.8% (2016/17)
71.9% (2023 est.)
Women married by age 18: 2.2%
Men married by age 18: 2.2% (2017 est.)
5.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.9%
Male: 97.6%
Female: 98.4% (2021)
Total: 13 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 14 years (2019)
Rising sea levels threaten land; depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; inadequate sewage treatment; coral reef bleaching
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Agricultural land: 23.3% (2018 est.)
Arable land: 10% (2018 est.)
Permanent crops: 10% (2018 est.)
Permanent pasture: 3.3% (2018 est.)
Forest: 3% (2018 est.)
Other: 73.7% (2018 est.)
Urban population: 42% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 2.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 13 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.44 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.14 megatons (2020 est.)
Municipal solid waste generated annually: 211,506 tons (2015 est.)
Municipal: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 300,000 cubic meters (2017 est.)
Agricultural: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.)
30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
Conventional short form: Maldives
Local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
Local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
Etymology: archipelago apparently named after the main island (and capital) of Male; the word "Maldives" means "the islands (dives) of Male"; alternatively, the name may derive from the Sanskrit word "maladvipa" meaning "garland of islands"; Dhivehi Raajje in Dhivehi means "Kingdom of the Dhivehi people"
Presidential republic
Name: Male
Geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E
Time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: derived from the Sanskrit word "mahaalay" meaning "big house"
21 administrative atolls (atholhuthah, singular - atholhu); Addu (Addu City), Ariatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Ari Atoll), Ariatholhu Uthuruburi (North Ari Atoll), Faadhippolhu, Felidhuatholhu (Felidhu Atoll), Fuvammulah, Hahdhunmathi, Huvadhuatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Huvadhu Atoll), Huvadhuatholhu Uthuruburi (North Huvadhu Atoll), Kolhumadulu, Maale (Male), Maaleatholhu (Male Atoll), Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Maalhosmadulu), Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi (North Maalhosmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Miladhunmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Uthuruburi (North Miladhunmadulu), Mulakatholhu (Mulaku Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Nilandhe Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Uthuruburi (North Nilandhe Atoll), Thiladhunmathee Dhekunuburi (South Thiladhunmathi), Thiladhunmathee Uthuruburi (North Thiladhunmathi)
26 July 1965 (from the UK)
Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
History: many previous; latest ratified 7 August 2008
Amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote by its membership and the signature of the president of the republic; passage of amendments to constitutional articles on rights and freedoms and the terms of office of Parliament and of the president also requires a majority vote in a referendum; amended 2015
Islamic (sharia) legal system with English common law influences, primarily in commercial matters
Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Maldives
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: unknown
18 years of age; universal
Chief of state: President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023); Vice President-elect Hussain Mohamed LATHEEF (since 30 September 2023); the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023); Vice President-elect Hussain Mohamed LATHEEF (since 30 September 2023)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by Parliament
Elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); first round held on 9 September 2023 and runoff held on 30 September 2023 (next to be held in 2028)
Election results:
2023: Mohamed MUIZZU elected president in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Mohamed MUIZZU (PNC) 46.1%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 39.1%, Ilyas LABEEB (DEMS) 7.1%, other 7.7%; percent of vote in the second round - Mohamed MUIZZU 54%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH 46%
2018: Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH elected president in first round; Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 58.3%, Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom (PPM) 41.7%
Description: unicameral Parliament or People's Majlis (93 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
Elections: last held on 21 April 2024 (next to be held in 2029)
Election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party (preliminary) - PNC 66, MDP 12, other 4, independent 11; composition - NA
Highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 justices
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission - a 10-member body of selected high government officials and the public - and upon confirmation by voting members of the People's Majlis; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
Subordinate courts: High Court; Criminal, Civil, Family, Juvenile, and Drug Courts; Magistrate Courts (on each of the inhabited islands)
Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Sheikh Imran ABDULLA]
Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRP [Ibrahim Mohamed SOLITH]
Maldives Development Alliance or MDA [Ahmed Shiyam MOHAMED]
Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]
Maldives Third Way Democrats or MTD [Ahmed ADEEB]
People's National Congress or PNC [Abdul Raheem ABDULLA]
People's National Front [Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom]
Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP [Qasim IBRAHIM]
ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent moon; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag; red recalls those who have sacrificed their lives in defense of their country, the green rectangle represents peace and prosperity, and the white crescent signifies Islam
Coconut palm, yellowfin tuna; national colors: red, green, white
Name: "Gaumee Salaam" (National Salute)
Lyrics/music: Mohamed Jameel DIDI/Wannakuwattawaduge DON AMARADEVA
Note: lyrics adopted 1948, music adopted 1972; between 1948 and 1972, the lyrics were sung to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne"
Upper middle-income Indian Ocean island economy; major tourism, fishing, and shipping industries; high public debt; systemic corruption; crippled by COVID-19; ongoing deflation; poverty has tripled since pandemic began
$11.142 billion (2022 est.)
$9.781 billion (2021 est.)
$7.104 billion (2020 est.)
Note: data in 2017 dollars
13.91% (2022 est.)
37.69% (2021 est.)
-32.91% (2020 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
$21,300 (2022 est.)
$18,800 (2021 est.)
$13,800 (2020 est.)
Note: data in 2017 dollars
$6.171 billion (2022 est.)
Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
2.33% (2022 est.)
0.54% (2021 est.)
-1.37% (2020 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Fitch rating: CCC (2020)
Moody's rating: B3 (2020)
Note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agriculture: 3% (2015 est.)
Industry: 16% (2015 est.)
Services: 81% (2015 est.)
Comparison rankings: services 30; industry 174; agriculture 149
Household consumption: (2016 est.) NA
Government consumption: (2016 est.) NA
Investment in fixed capital: (2016 est.) NA
Investment in inventories: (2016 est.) NA
Exports of goods and services: 93.6% (2016 est.)
Imports of goods and services: 89% (2016 est.)
Papayas, vegetables, roots/tubers nes, nuts, fruit, other meat, tomatoes, coconuts, bananas, maize
Tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
25.2% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
261,000 (2022 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
4.39% (2022 est.)
5.12% (2021 est.)
5.48% (2020 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment
Total: 17.7% (2021 est.)
Male: 19.9%
Female: 12.6%
5.4% (2019 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line
29.3 (2019 est.)
Note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Lowest 10%: 3.8%
Highest 10%: 23.3% (2019 est.)
Note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
0.08% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.09% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.13% of GDP (2020 est.)
Note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Revenues: $993 million (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $1.797 billion (2020 est.)
-10.1% (of GDP) (2016 est.)
63.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
61.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
26.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)
Calendar year
-$1.033 billion (2022 est.)
-$455.003 million (2021 est.)
-$1.327 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
$5.096 billion (2022 est.)
$3.985 billion (2021 est.)
$1.787 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Thailand 24%, United States 13%, China 12%, France 11%, Germany 11%, Italy 5%, United Kingdom 5% (2019)
Skipjack and stripe-bellied bonito, fish fillets, propane, tuna, butane, scrap iron (2021)
$4.904 billion (2022 est.)
$3.484 billion (2021 est.)
$2.449 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
United Arab Emirates 24%, China 16%, Singapore 14%, India 11%, Malaysia 6%, Thailand 5% (2019)
Refined petroleum, fruits, furniture, broadcasting equipment, lumber (2019)
$832.094 million (2022 est.)
$805.808 million (2021 est.)
$984.931 million (2020 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
$848.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$696.2 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
15.387 (2022 est.)
15.373 (2021 est.)
15.381 (2020 est.)
15.382 (2019 est.)
15.391 (2018 est.)
Electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Installed generating capacity: 545,000 kW (2020 est.)
Consumption: 586.5 million kWh (2019 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 21 million kWh (2019 est.)
Comparison rankings: imports 137; exports 120; installed generating capacity 149; transmission/distribution losses 30; consumption 167
Fossil fuels: 99.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 15,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
10,840 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
2.286 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 2.286 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
59.69 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
Total subscriptions: 13,376 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2021 est.)
Total subscriptions: 706,043 (2021 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135 (2021 est.)
General assessment: with its economy so heavily dependent on tourism, the Maldives has suffered heavy economic as well as health casualties during the pandemic; the country had a relatively short period of lock down and was willing to welcome visitors back as early as July 2020; but the effective shutdown of international air travel for most of the year resulted in the bottom falling out of the Maldives’ tourism industry, taking GDP down 32% in the process; the economy fared better in 2021, with a return to growth, yet it may still be a few years before the country’s key industries can return to the same level of prosperity that they previously enjoyed; the country’s high number of tourists and expatriate workers has inflated the penetration rate for mobile services, making it one of the highest in the world; that rate crashed in 2020 as demand for SIM cards (primarily prepaid) dried up; however, the number of contract subscribers increased as locals took advantage of competitive pricing offers from operators; with commercial 5G services already launched and fiber networks rapidly expanding around the country, the Maldives is primed to deliver world-class telecommunications services to its domestic and international customers (2021)
Domestic: fixed-line is at nearly 3 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular subscriptions stands at nearly 135 per 100 persons (2021)
International: country code - 960; landing points for Dhiraagu Cable Network, NaSCOM, Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Networks and WARF submarine cables providing connections to 8 points in Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka; satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2019)
State-owned radio and TV monopoly until recently; 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned TV stations and 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned radio stations (2019)
.mv
Total: 447,200 (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 86% (2021 est.)
Total: 63,685 (2020 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2020 est.)
Number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 36
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,147,247 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 7.75 million (2018)
8Q
19 (2024)
Total: 93 km
Paved: 93 km (2018) - 60 km in Malée; 16 km on Addu Atolis; 17 km on Laamu
Note: island roads are mainly compacted coral
Total: 82 (2023)
By type: general cargo 30, oil tanker 20, other 32
Major seaport(s): Male
Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): the MNDF has combined force structure with seven services divided into Combat and Maneuver Forces (Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Fire and Rescue Service) and Support Services (Service Corps, Defense Intelligence Service, Medical Corps, Adjutant General's Corps); there is also a separate Special Forces command and a Special Protection Service (2024)
Note: the Maldives Police Service is responsible for internal security and reports to the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology
Not available
Approximately 3-4,000 personnel (2023)
India has provided most of the equipment in the MNDF's inventory (2023)
18-28 years of age for voluntary service; no conscription; 10th grade or equivalent education required; must not be a member of a political party (2023)
The Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) is responsible for defending and safeguarding the Maldives' territorial integrity, economic exclusion zone, and people; it is also responsible for disaster relief, and if requested, assisting the Maldives Police Service in maintaining internal security and law and order; the MNDF is organized into four area commands and a functional Special Forces command; the head of the MNDF reports to the Minister of Defense (2023)
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
NA