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@Maldives
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Map
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Location: 3 15 N, 73 00 E -- Southern Asia, group of atolls in the
Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India

Flag
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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

Geography
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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 area: 300 sq km
land area: 300 sq km
comparative area: nearly twice 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
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili 24 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 3%
forest and woodland: 3%
other: 84%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water
supplies
natural hazards: low level of islands makes them very sensitive to
sea level rise
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified -
Law of the Sea

Geographic note: 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls;
archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes
in Indian Ocean

People
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Population: 270,758 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47% (male 65,559; female 62,399)
15-64 years: 50% (male 69,071; female 65,659)
65 years and over: 3% (male 4,336; female 3,734) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.52% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 41.88 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 6.64 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.16 ma