highest 10%: 28.5% (2004 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
46.1 (2002) country comparison to the world: 38 49.2 (1997)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.7% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112
Budget:
revenues: $48.49 billion
expenditures: $58.85 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
40% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56 45.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 2% (2007 est.)
note: approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
6.08% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 127 6.41% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$51.51 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 $49.41 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$200.9 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 14 $187.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$246.7 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 28 $220 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$187.1 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 29 $325.7 billion (31 December 2007)
$235.4 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber, pepper, timber
Industries:
Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging
Industrial production growth rate:
1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125
Electricity - production:
103.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Electricity - consumption:
99.25 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Electricity - exports:
2.268 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
727,200 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27
Oil - consumption:
547,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
Oil - exports:
511,900 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Oil - imports:
314,600 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 36
Oil - proved reserves:
4 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 26
Natural gas - production:
57.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Natural gas - consumption:
26.27 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Natural gas - exports:
31.03 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 9
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 153
Natural gas - proved reserves:
2.35 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
Current account balance:
$33.76 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $28.93 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$198.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 $176.4 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals
Exports - partners:
Singapore 14.7%, US 12.5%, Japan 10.8%, China 9.5%, Thailand 4.8%,Hong Kong 4.3% (2008)
Imports:
$154.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 $139.1 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals
Imports - partners:
China 12.8%, Japan 12.5%, Singapore 11%, US 10.8%, Thailand 5.6%,South Korea 4.6%, Indonesia 4.6%, Germany 4.3% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$91.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 18 $101.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$75.33 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 42 $62.33 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$83.35 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 39 $76.75 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$71.2 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $58.18 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
ringgits (MYR) per US dollar - 3.33 (2008 est.), 3.46 (2007), 3.6683 (2006), 3.8 (2005), 3.8 (2004)
Communications ::Malaysia
Telephones - main lines in use:
4.292 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 36
Telephones - mobile cellular:
27.125 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 31
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern system; international service excellent
domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity 125 per 100 persons
international: country code - 60; landing point for several major international submarine cable networks that provide connectivity to Asia, Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
88 (mainland Malaysia 51, Sabah 16, and Sarawak 21) (2006)
Internet country code:
.my
Internet hosts:
362,968 (2009) country comparison to the world: 53
Internet users:
16.903 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 22
Transportation ::Malaysia
Airports:
118 (2009) country comparison to the world: 51
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 38
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 80
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 73 (2009)
Heliports:
2 (2009)
Pipelines:
condensate 3 km; gas 1,965 km; oil 31 km; refined products 114 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 1,849 km country comparison to the world: 75 standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,792 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 98,721 km country comparison to the world: 42 paved: 80,280 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways)
unpaved: 18,441 km (2004)
Waterways:
7,200 km country comparison to the world: 20 note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km (2008)
Merchant marine:
total: 306 country comparison to the world: 30 by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 97, carrier 1, chemical tanker 34, container 46, liquefied gas 33, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 71, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: 40 (Germany 1, Hong Kong 14, Japan 4, Russia 2, Singapore 16, Sweden 3)
registered in other countries: 68 (Bahamas 13, Marshall Islands 3, Norway 1, Panama 12, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Singapore 27, Thailand 3, Tuvalu 1, US 2, unknown 4) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bintulu, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Labuan, George Town (Penang), PortKelang, Tanjung Pelepas
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift; increased naval patrols in 2009 resulted in significantly reduced numbers of incidents
Military ::Malaysia
Military branches:
Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): MalaysianArmy (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera LautDiraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera UdaraDiraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,440,338
females age 16-49: 6,280,826 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,493,946
females age 16-49: 5,409,524 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 266,267
female: 252,543 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.03% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
Transnational Issues ::Malaysia
Disputes - international:
Malaysia has asserted sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings in response to the memorials and countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; ICJ awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also claimed by Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime boundary and sovereignty of Unarang rock in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; Brunei and Malaysia agreed in September 2008 to resolve their offshore and deepwater seabed dispute, resume hydrocarbon exploration and renounce any territorial claims on land; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 15,174 (Indonesia); 21,544 (Burma) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Malaysia is a destination and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation, and men, women, and children for forced labor; Malaysia is mainly a destination country for men, women, and children who migrate willingly from South and Southeast Asia to work, some of whom are subjected to conditions of involuntary servitude by Malaysian employers in the domestic, agricultural, construction, plantation, and industrial sectors; to a lesser extent, some Malaysian women, primarily of Chinese ethnicity, are trafficked abroad for commercial sexual exploitation
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Malaysia improved from Tier 3 to the Tier 2 Watch List for 2008 when it enacted comprehensive anti-trafficking legislation in July 2007; however, it did not take action against exploitative employers or labor traffickers in 2007; the government has not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Illicit drugs:
drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties; heroin still primary drug of abuse, but synthetic drug demand remains strong; continued ecstasy and methamphetamine producer for domestic users and, to a lesser extent, the regional drug market
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Maldives (South Asia)
Introduction ::Maldives
Background:
The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated the islands' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004, the president and his government pledged to embark upon democratic reforms including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress was sluggish, however, and many promised reforms were slow to be realized. Nonetheless, political parties were legalized in 2005. In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" - finalized a new constitution, which was ratified by the president in August. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the former regime. Challenges facing the new president include strengthening democracy and combating poverty and drug abuse.
Geography ::Maldives
Location:
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 298 sq km country comparison to the world: 209 land: 298 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
644 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Terrain:
flat, with white sandy beaches
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 30%
other: 56.67% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Total renewable water resources:
0.03 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.003 cu km/yr (98%/2%/0%)
per capita: 9 cu m/yr (1987)
Natural hazards:
tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise
Environment - current issues:
depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
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:
396,334 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.3% (male 45,038/female 43,291)
15-64 years: 73.8% (male 180,874/female 111,703)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 7,711/female 7,717) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.7 years
male: 26.5 years
female: 24.3 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.168% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 217
Birth rate:
14.55 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Death rate:
3.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 212
Net migration rate:
-12.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
Urbanization:
urban population: 38% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 5.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.62 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.44 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 29.53 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 77 male: 32.04 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.97 years country comparison to the world: 94 male: 71.78 years
female: 76.28 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 147
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 100 (2001 est.) country comparison to the world: 163
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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: 96.3%
male: 96.2%
female: 96.4% (2000 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 15
Government ::Maldives
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives
local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Male
geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 capital city*; Alifu,Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu,Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale* (Male), Meemu, Noonu,Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu
Independence:
26 July 1965 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Constitution:
new constitution ratified 7 August 2008
Legal system:
based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mohamed "Anni" NASHEED (since 11 November 2008); Vice President Mohamed WAHEED Hassan Maniku (since 11 November 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Mohamed "Anni" NASHEED (since 11 November 2008); Vice President Mohamed WAHEED Hassan Maniku (since 11 November 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: under the new constitution, the president is elected by direct vote; president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 8 and 28 October 2008 (next to be held in 2013)
election results: Mohamed NASHEED elected president; percent of vote - NASHEED 54.25%, Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM 45.75%
Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Council or People's Majlis (77 seats; members elected by direct vote to serve five-year terms); note - the Majlis in February 2009 passed legislation that incresed the number of seats to 77 from 50
elections: last held 9 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: percent of vote - DRP 36.8%, MDP 32.9 %, PA 9.2%, DQP 2.6% AP 1.3%, independents 17.1%; seats by party - DRP 28, MDP 25, PA 7, DQP 2, AP 1, independents 13; note - one seat unfilled
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Supreme Court judges are appointed by the presidentwith approval of voting members of the People's Council; High Court;Trial Courts; all lower court judges are appointed by the JudicialService Commission
Political parties and leaders:
Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Abdul Majeed Abdul BARI]; DhivehiQuamee Party or DQP [Hassan SAEED]; Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party(Maldivian People's Party) or DRP [Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM]; IslamicDemocratic Party or IDP [Omar NASEER]; Maldivian Democratic Party orMDP [Mohamed NASHEED]; People's Alliance or PA [Abdullah YAMEEN];Republican (Jumhooree) Party [Gasim IBRAHIM]; Social Liberal Partyor SLP [Ibrahim ISMAIL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: various unregistered political parties
International organization participation:
ADB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO,Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN,UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Abdul Ghafoor MOHAMED
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Ambassador Robert O. BLAKE, Jr., is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits
Flag description:
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
Economy ::Maldives
Economy - overview:
Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 28% of GDP and more than 60% of foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Fishing is the second leading sector. 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 7% of GDP. 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. Real GDP growth averaged over 7.5% per year for more than a decade. In late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000 displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million. As a result of the tsunami, the GDP contracted by about 4.6% in 2005. A rebound in tourism, post-tsunami reconstruction, and development of new resorts helped the economy recover quickly, with GDP growth registering 18% in 2006. Growth slowed in 2007-08, but remained above 5% per year. The trade deficit expanded sharply as a result of high oil prices and imports of construction material. Government spending on social needs, subsidies, and civil servant salaries have created a large budget deficit and inflation has picked up sharply, reaching nearly 13% in October 2008 due to high oil and food prices. Diversifying beyond tourism and fishing, reforming public finance, and increasing employment are the major challenges facing the government. Over the longer term Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is 1 meter or less above sea level.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.723 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 $1.628 billion (2007 est.)
$1.519 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$1.261 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 69 7.2% (2007 est.)
18% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149 $4,500 (2007 est.)
$4,400 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 7%
industry: 17%
services: 76% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
136,100 (2007) country comparison to the world: 172
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 22%
industry: 18%
services: 60% (1995)
Unemployment rate:
14.4% (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Population below poverty line:
21% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $762 million (including foreign grants)
expenditures: $884 million (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.8% (October 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 178 5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
13% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 22 12.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 60 13% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$475.2 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 96 $344.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$487.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 108 $434.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.548 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 97 $1.08 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish
Industries:
tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Industrial production growth rate:
-0.9% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Electricity - production:
205 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 176
Electricity - consumption:
190.7 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 178
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
Oil - consumption:
6,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180
Oil - imports:
5,406 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 155
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 147
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 157
Current account balance:
-$638 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 109 -$472 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$113 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 $167 million (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish
Exports - partners:
Thailand 34.4%, UK 13.8%, France 12.2%, Italy 9%, Sri Lanka 8.5% (2008)
Imports:
$1.276 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 168 $930 million (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and capital goods
Imports - partners:
Singapore 27.2%, UAE 16.9%, Malaysia 9.7%, India 7.7%, Thailand 4.9%, Sri Lanka 4.6%, Germany 4.1% (2008)
Debt - external:
$477 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166 $482 million (2006 est.)
Exchange rates:
rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar - 12.8 (2008), 12.8 (2007), 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004)
Communications ::Maldives
Telephones - main lines in use:
50,396 (2009) country comparison to the world: 162
Telephones - mobile cellular:
450,500 (2009) country comparison to the world: 158
Telephone system:
general assessment: telephone services have improved; each island now has at least 1 public telephone, and there are mobile cellular networks with a rapidly expanding subscribership that exceeds 100 per 100 persons
domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service
international: country code - 960; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2009)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2006)
Internet country code:
.mv
Internet hosts:
1,732 (2009) country comparison to the world: 151
Internet users:
71,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 164
Transportation ::Maldives
Airports:
5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 180
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 88 km country comparison to the world: 213 paved roads: 88 km - 60 km in Male; 14 km on Addu Atolis; 14 km on Laamu
note: village roads are mainly compacted coral (2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 29 country comparison to the world: 86 by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 23, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 2
foreign-owned: 1 (Greece 1)
registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 1, Tuvalu 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Male
Military ::Maldives
Military branches:
Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Rapid Reaction Force,Security Protection Group, Coast Guard (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 89,505
females age 16-49: 85,745 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 138,746
females age 16-49: 82,247 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 4,576
female: 3,942 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
5.5% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Military - note:
the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), with its small size and with little serviceable equipment, is inadequate to prevent external aggression and is primarily tasked to reinforce the Maldives Police Service (MPS) and ensure security in the exclusive economic zone (2008)
Transnational Issues ::Maldives
Disputes - international:
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 1,000-10,000 (December 2004 tsunami victims) (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@Mali (Africa)
Introduction ::Mali
Background:
The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a military coup - led by the current president Amadou TOURE - enabling Mali's emergence as one of the strongest democracies on the continent. President Alpha KONARE won Mali's first democratic presidential election in 1992 and was reelected in 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, KONARE stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE, who was subsequently elected to a second term in 2007. The elections were widely judged to be free and fair.
Geography ::Mali
Location:
Western Africa, southwest of Algeria
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,240,192 sq km country comparison to the world: 24 land: 1,220,190 sq km
water: 20,002 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 7,243 km
border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February)
Terrain:
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m
Natural resources:
gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite, hydropower
note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
Land use:
arable land: 3.76%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 96.21% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,360 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
100 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 6.55 cu km/yr (9%/1%/90%)
per capita: 484 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan
People ::Mali
Population:
12,666,987 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
Age structure:
0-14 years: 48.3% (male 3,089,406/female 3,023,341)
15-64 years: 48.7% (male 3,065,167/female 3,101,914)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 151,718/female 235,441) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 15.8 years
male: 15.5 years
female: 16.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.765% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 19
Birth rate:
49.15 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
Death rate:
15.82 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
Net migration rate:
-5.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Urbanization:
urban population: 32% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 102.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 8 male: 111.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 92.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 50.35 years country comparison to the world: 207 male: 48.38 years
female: 52.38 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
7.29 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 2
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.5% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 46
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 42
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Malian(s)
adjective: Malian
Ethnic groups:
Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%
Religions:
Muslim 90%, Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9%
Languages:
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write