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NAVIGATION
Republic of Maldives
Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
INTRODUCTION
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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. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago. |
GEOGRAPHY
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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
water: 0 sq km land: 300 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 baselines
territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM contiguous zone: 24 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: 3.33%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 90% (1998 est.) |
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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 |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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320,165 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.95% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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37.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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: 1.05 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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61.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 62.93 years
female: 64.2 years (2002 est.) male: 61.72 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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5.38 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.05% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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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: 93.2% male: 93.3% female: 93% (1995 est.) |