de 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,