n
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands,
plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic
location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

People Maldives

Population:
359,008 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 80,113/female 75,763)
15-64 years: 53.5% (male 98,040/female 94,029)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,477/female 5,586) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 17.9 years
male: 17.8 years
female: 18 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.78% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
34.81 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
7.06 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 54.89 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 54.01 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 55.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.41 years
male: 63.08 years
female: 65.8 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups:
South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Religions:
Sunni Muslim

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

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.2%
male: 97.1%
female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

Government Maldives

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives
local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Male
geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 31 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and the capital city*;
Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, F