Geographical profile of Maldives

Geographical profile of Maldives

A series of 1,190 coral islands(at least 200 or 202 are inhabitant) grouped into 26 atolls (a ring-shaped coral reef enclosing a lagoon) located in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives has an area of less than 300 square kilometers (115 square miles) and a total coastline of 644 kilometers (400 miles).

Official Name: Republic of Maldives (Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa)

Data code: Maldives (Dhivehi Raajje)

Government Type:  Republic

Location: Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India. 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts);

Area:  These tiny islands spread over an area of 90,000 Square Kilometers, and this number is presented as the land area of Maldives. The dry area of the islands is approximately 300 sq km   (115 sq miles)

Land: 300 sq km

Water: 0 sq km

Capital: Male

Boarder Area:  0 km

Coastline: 644 km

Geographic coordinates: 3 15 N, 73 00 E

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Viligili in the Addu Atholhu 2.4 m

Terrain: flat, with white sandy beaches

Population: 395,650 (July 2010 est.), 313,900 (UN, 2010)

Sex ration: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

.

Density:  1105 /sq.k.m

Age structure:   0-14 years: 22.3% (male 45,038/female 43,291)

15-64 years: 73.8% (male 180,874/female 111,703)

65 years and over: 3.9% (male 7,711/female 7,717) (2010 est.)

Median age : 

total: 25.9   years

male: 26.6   years

female: 24.7   years (2010 est.)

Population Growth Rate:  -0.178% (2010 est.)

Birth Rate: 14.5 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death Rate: 3.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: male: 63.08 years :female: 65.8 years (2006 est.)

Literacy: 96.2%  total population (about 5.1 thousand people are literate )

Language: Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials

Ethnic Groups:  South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Religion: 100% : Sunni Muslim

Nationality:  noun: Maldivian(s) adjective: Maldivian

Independence: 26 July 1965 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution: new constitution ratified 7 August 2008

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 People's Majlis (77 seats; members elected by direct vote to serve five-year terms); note - the Majlis in February 2009 passed legislation that increased the number of seats to 77 from 50

chief of state: President Mohamed "Anni" NASHEED (since 11 November 2008); Vice President Mohamed WAHEED Hassan Maniku (since 11 November 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

.  The legislative assembly known as the Majlis is composed of fifty members: two from Malé, two from each of the twenty administrative atolls, and eight appointed by the president.

Administrative subdivisions: 19 atolls and capital city.

Political parties: Adhaalath Party , Dhivehi Raiyyethunge Party, Islamic Democratic Party

International organization participation: ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Flag Description: 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

Weather and Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

  Natural hazards:   

 tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes   them sensitive to sea level rise

Tourism: In 1993, 241,020 tourists travelled to experience the beauty of the Maldives, and by 1997, this number had risen nearly 50 percent to 365,563. Of these, the vast majority came from Western Europe, Japan, and from nearby countries in South Asia

Currency: Rufiyaa (Rf). One rufiyaa equals 100 laari. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, and 50 laari, and 1 and 2 rufiyaa. There are notes of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, and 500 rufiyaa. 1 US Dollar equals 12.80 Rufiyaa.

Natural resources: Fish

Industries: tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining

Agriculture products: coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Income of per Capita:

Economy

GDP: $1.357 billion (2009 est.)

GDP—per capita: $4,300 (2009 est.)

GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 5.6%,industry: 16.9%,services: 77.5% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line: 16% (2008)

Labor force: 144,000 (2009)

Labor force—by occupation: agriculture: 11%,industry: 23%services: 65% (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate: 14.4% (2006 est.)

Budget: revenues: $487 million

expenditures: $873 million (2009 est.)

Electricity—production: 542 million kWh

Electricity—consumption: 542 million kWh

Electricity—exports: 0  kWh

Electricity—imports: 0 kwh

Oil - proved reserves: o bbl/day Oil - consumption: 6,000 bbl/day

Oil - exports: 0 bbl/day Oil - production: 5,490 bbl/day

Natural gas - production: 0 cu m

Natural gas - consumption:    0 cu m

Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2008 est.)

Exports: $88 million (2009 est.)

Exports—commodities: fish, clothing

Exports—partners: France 17.01%, Thailand 15.16%, Italy 13.49%, UK 13.13%, Sri Lanka 12.38% (2009)

Imports: $782 million (2008 est.)

Imports—commodities:  petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and capital goods

Import Partners: Singapore 24.62%, UAE 15.7%, India 11.02%, Malaysia 8.98%, Sri Lanka 5.4%, Thailand 5.36% (2009)

Irrigated Land: NA

Land in Use: arable land: 13.33%

permanent crops: 30%

other: 56.67% (2005)