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 with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land:
10%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
3%
forest and woodland:
3%
other:
84%
Irrigated land:
NA km2
Environment:
1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls
Note:
archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in
Indian Ocean

*Maldives, People

Population:
243,094 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.64% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
44.34 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
7.91 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
57.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
63.86 years
male:
62.5 years
female:
65.28 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.36 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Maldivian(s)
adjective:
Maldivian
Ethnic divisions:
Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, African
Religions:
Sunni Muslim
Languages:
Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic), English spoken by
most government officials
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
total population:
92%
male:
92%
female:
92%
Labor force:
66,000 (est.)
by occupation:
fishing industry 25%

*Maldives, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Maldives
conventional short form:
Maldives
Digraph:
MV
Type:
republic
Capital:
Male
Administrative divisions:
19 districts (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)
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