tage of domestic
labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists
mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts,
accounts for about 15% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the
impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying
country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$500 million (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 5.8% (1998 est.)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$1,840 (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector:
agriculture: 22%
industry: 15%
services: 63% (1994 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.3% (1996)

Labor force: 56,435 (1990 est.)

Labor force--by occupation: fishing industry and agriculture 25%,
services 21%, manufacturing and construction 21%, trade,
restaurants, and hotels 16%, transportation and communication 10%,
other 7%

Unemployment rate: NEGL%

Budget:
revenues: $88 million (excluding foreign grants)
expenditures: $141 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)

Industries: fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building,
coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral
and sand mining

Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1994 est.)

Electricity--production: 60 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 60 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Exports: $59 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports--commodities: fish, clothing

Exports--partners: Sri Lanka, US, Germany, Singapore, UK

Imports: $302 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Imports--commodities: consumer goods, intermediate and capital
goods, petroleum products

Imports--partners: Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Japan,
Thailand

Debt--external: $179 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid--recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laari

Exchange rates: rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1--11.770 (1995-January 1999),
11.586 (1994), 10.957 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 8,523 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: minimal domestic and international fa