Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM - currently in his sixth term in office - has dominated the island's political scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004, the president and his government have pledged to embark upon democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.
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Location:
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Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
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Geographic coordinates:
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3 15 N, 73 00 E
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Map references:
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Asia
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Area:
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total: 300 sq km
land: 300 sq km
water: 0 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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644 km
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Maritime claims:
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measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
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Terrain:
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flat, with white sandy beaches
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m
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Natural resources:
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fish
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Land use:
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arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 16.67%
other: 70% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise
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Environment - current issues:
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depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
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Environment - international agreements:
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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
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population:
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339,330 (July 2004 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 44.4% (male 77,424; female 73,191)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 91,045; female 87,331)
65 years and over: 3% (male 5,207; female 5,132) (2004 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 17.5 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 17.6 years (2004 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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2.86% (2004 est.)
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Birth rate:
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36.06 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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Death rate:
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7.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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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: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 58.32 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 57.43 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 59.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 63.68 years
male: 62.41 years
female: 65.01 years (2004 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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5.14 children born/woman (2004 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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less than 100 (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian
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Ethnic groups:
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South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs
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Religions:
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Sunni Muslim
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Languages:
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Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.2%
male: 97.1%
female: 97.3% (2003 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives
local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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Male
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Administrative divisions:
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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
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Independence:
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26 July 1965 (from UK)
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
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Constitution:
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adopted January 1998
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Legal system:
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based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage:
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21 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval margin is required); president elected for a five-year term; election last held 17 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 42
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Judicial branch:
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High Court
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Political parties and leaders:
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although political parties are not banned, none exist
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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none
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International organization participation:
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AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there
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Flag description:
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red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag
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Economy - overview:
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Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Fishing is a second leading sector. The Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18% 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.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $1.25 billion (2002 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.3% (2002 est.)
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 20%
industry: 18%
services: 62% (2000 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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NA
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1% (2002 est.)
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Labor force:
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88,000 (2000)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)
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Unemployment rate:
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NEGL% (2003 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)
expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80 million (2002 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
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Industries:
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fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4.4% (1996 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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117 million kWh (2001)
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Electricity - consumption:
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108.8 million kWh (2001)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001)
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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3,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001)
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001)
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Exports:
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$90 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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fish, clothing
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Exports - partners:
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US 32.1%, Thailand 17%, Sri Lanka 13.4%, Japan 10.7%, UK 9.8%, Indonesia 4.5% (2003)
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Imports:
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$392 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products
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Imports - partners:
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Singapore 24.8%, Sri Lanka 13.8%, India 10.2%, Malaysia 7.6%, UAE 7.6%, Thailand 5.1% (2003)
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Debt - external:
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$281 million (2003 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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NA (1995)
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Currency:
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rufiyaa (MVR)
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Currency code:
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MVR
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Exchange rates:
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rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002), 12.2421 (2001), 11.77 (2000), 11.77 (1999)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Highways:
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total: NA km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km
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Ports and harbors:
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Gan, Male
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Merchant marine:
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total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,164 GRT/68,973 DWT
by type: cargo 13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, short-sea/passenger 1
foreign-owned: North Korea 1
registered in other countries: 2 (2003 est.)
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Airports:
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5 (2003 est.)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)
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Disputes - international:
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none
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This page was last updated on 27 January, 2005
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