nternational agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection 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: 320,165 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.3% (male 74,493; female 70,394) 15-64
years: 51.7% (male 84,548; female 81,092) 65 years and over: 3% (male
4,944; female 4,694) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.95% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 37.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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:
1.05 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 61.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 64.2 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 5.38 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.05% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

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: 93.2% male: 93.3% female: 93% (1995 est.)

Government Maldives

Country name: Republic of Maldives conventional short form: Raajjeyge
Jumhooriyyaa

Government type: republic

Capital: Male

Administrative divisions: 19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural)
and 1 other first-order administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu,
Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu,
Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu

Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution: adopted January 1998

Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common
law primarily in commercial m