THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887 and a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated Maldives' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. After political demonstrations in the capital Male in 2003, GAYOOM and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Political parties were legalized in 2005. In 2008, a constituent assembly -- termed the "Special Majlis" -- finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held later that year. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist whom the regime had jailed several years earlier. In 2012, after several weeks of street protests in response to a top judge's arrest, NASHEED resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. A government-appointed Commission of National Inquiry concluded that there was no evidence of a coup, but NASHEED contended that police and military personnel forced him to resign. NASHEED, WAHEED, and Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ran in the 2013 elections with YAMEEN ultimately winning the presidency after three rounds of voting. In 2018, YAMEEN lost his reelection bid to parliamentarian Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH. YAMEEN was arrested and jailed in 2022 on corruption charges. Maldives' fourth democratic election was held in September 2023. The winner, Male City Mayor Dr. Mohamed MUIZZU, campaigned on a platform of Maldivian sovereignty, vowing to remove Indian military personnel from the country. MUIZZU represents a joint Progressive Pary of Maldives and People's National Congress (PPM/PNC) coalition.

Location: Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Geographic coordinates: 3 15 N, 73 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 298 sq km
land: 298 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 1.7 times the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 644 km
Maritime claims: 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 coral atolls, with white sandy beaches; sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive Ridge
Elevation: highest point: 8th tee, golf course, Villingi Island 5 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 2 m
Natural resources: fish
Land use: agricultural land: 19.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 13.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 12.5% (2023 est.)
other: 67.7% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: about a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City; the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago
Natural hazards: tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise
Geography - note: smallest Asian country; archipelago of 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); strategic location along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

Population: total: 388,858 (2024 est.)
male: 197,739
female: 191,119
Nationality: noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian
Ethnic groups: homogeneous mixture of Sinhalese, Dravidian, Arab, Australasian, and African resulting from historical changes in regional hegemony over marine trade routes
Languages: Dhivehi (official, closely related to Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English (spoken by most government officials)
Religions: Sunni Muslim (official)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 44,321/female 42,626)
15-64 years: 71.5% (male 143,021/female 135,044)
65 years and over: 6.1% (2024 est.) (male 10,397/female 13,449)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 39.8 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 31.3 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 8.6 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 11.7 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 32.4 years (2025 est.)
male: 31.3 years
female: 32.4 years
Population growth rate: -0.24% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 14.77 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -12.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: about a third of the population lives in the centrally located capital city of Male and almost a tenth in southern Addu City; the remainder of the populace is spread over the 200 or so populated islands of the archipelago
Urbanization: urban population: 42% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 177,000 MALE (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 23.2 years (2016/17 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 32 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 23.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 27.3 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 75.1 years
female: 79.9 years
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.83 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.4% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 10% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 18.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 2.24 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Hospital bed density: 5 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 8.6% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 1.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.33 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.45 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 28% (2025 est.)
male: 41.5% (2025 est.)
female: 9.2% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 14.8% (2017 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 68.4% (2022 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 0% (2017)
women married by age 18: 2.2% (2017)
men married by age 18: 2.2% (2017)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 5.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 9.6% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy: total population: 98.2% (2019 est.)
male: 98.2% (2019 est.)
female: 98.3% (2019 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 13 years (2022 est.)
male: 11 years (2022 est.)
female: 15 years (2022 est.)

Environmental issues: rising sea levels; depletion of freshwater aquifers; inadequate sewage treatment; coral reef bleaching
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Land use: agricultural land: 19.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 13.4% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 3.4% (2023 est.)
forest: 12.5% (2023 est.)
other: 67.7% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 42% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 2.34% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 1.908 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 1.908 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 12.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 211,500 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20.9% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 5.6 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 300,000 cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 268,194 cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 30 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
conventional short form: Maldives
local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
local short form: Dhivehi Raajje
etymology: the origin of the name is obscure but may derive from the Sanskrit word maladvipa, meaning "garland of islands;" the local name, Dhivehi Raajje, means "land of the Dhivehi people" in the local language
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Malé
geographic coordinates: 4 10 N, 73 30 E
time difference: UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name may come from the Sanskrit word mala, or "garland"
Administrative divisions: 21 administrative atolls (atholhuthah, singular - atholhu); Addu (Addu City), Ariatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Ari Atoll), Ariatholhu Uthuruburi (North Ari Atoll), Faadhippolhu, Felidhuatholhu (Felidhu Atoll), Fuvammulah, Hahdhunmathi, Huvadhuatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Huvadhu Atoll), Huvadhuatholhu Uthuruburi (North Huvadhu Atoll), Kolhumadulu, Maale (Male), Maaleatholhu (Male Atoll), Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Maalhosmadulu), Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi (North Maalhosmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Dhekunuburi (South Miladhunmadulu), Miladhunmadulu Uthuruburi (North Miladhunmadulu), Mulakatholhu (Mulaku Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Dhekunuburi (South Nilandhe Atoll), Nilandheatholhu Uthuruburi (North Nilandhe Atoll), Thiladhunmathee Dhekunuburi (South Thiladhunmathi), Thiladhunmathee Uthuruburi (North Thiladhunmathi)
Legal system: Islamic (sharia) legal system with English common law influences, primarily in commercial matters
Constitution: history: many previous; latest ratified 7 August 2008
amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires at least three-quarters majority vote by its membership and the signature of the president of the republic; passage of amendments to constitutional articles on rights and freedoms and the terms of office of Parliament and of the president also requires a majority vote in a referendum
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Maldives
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: unknown
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023)
head of government: President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by People's Majlis
election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
most recent election date: 9 September 2023, with runoff on 30 September 2023
election results: 2023: Mohamed MUIZZU elected president in the second round; percent of vote in first round - Mohamed MUIZZU (PNC) 46.1%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 39.1%, Ilyas LABEEB (DEMS) 7.1%, other 7.7%; percent of vote in the second round - Mohamed MUIZZU 54%, Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH 46%
expected date of next election: 2028
Legislative branch: legislature name: People's Majlis (Majlis)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 93 (all directly elected)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 4/21/2024
parties elected and seats per party: People's National Congress (PNC) (66); Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) (12); Independents (11); Other (4)
percentage of women in chamber: 3.2%
expected date of next election: April 2029
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 6 justices)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission -- a 10-member body of selected senior government officials and the public -- and on confirmation by voting members of the People's Majlis; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
subordinate courts: High Court; Criminal, Civil, Family, Juvenile, and Drug Courts; Magistrate Courts (on each of the inhabited islands)
Political parties: Adhaalath (Justice) Party or APDhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRPMaldives Development Alliance or MDAMaldivian Democratic Party or MDPMaldives Third Way Democrats or MTDPeople's National Congress or PNCPeople's National FrontRepublican (Jumhooree) Party or JP
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdul GHAFOOR Mohamed (since 15 June 2023)
chancery: 1100 H Street NW, Suite 250, Washington, D.C. 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 516-5458
email address and website: WashingtonInfo@foreign.gov.mvThe Embassy (mdvmission.gov.mv)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Chunnong SAEGER (since January 2026)
embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka; note - as of early November 2023, the US has no consular or diplomatic offices in Maldives; the US Mission to Maldives operates from US Embassy Colombo, Sri Lanka
telephone: [94] (11) 249-8500
FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345
email address and website: Homepage - U.S. Embassy in Maldives
International organization participation: ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 26 July 1965 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Flag: description: red with a large green rectangle in the center and a vertical white crescent moon centered on the rectanglemeaning: red stands for those who have sacrificed their lives to defend the country, green for peace and prosperity, and the white crescent is a symbol of Islam
National symbol(s): coconut palm, yellowfin tuna
National color(s): red, green, white
National anthem(s): title: "Gaumee Salaam" (National Salute)
lyrics/music: Mohamed Jameel DIDI/Wannakuwattawaduge DON AMARADEVA
history: lyrics adopted 1948, music adopted 1972; the anthem has seven verses, but only the first two are commonly used

Economic overview: upper middle-income Indian Ocean island economy; major tourism, fishing, and shipping industries; high public debt; systemic corruption; crippled by COVID-19; ongoing deflation; poverty has tripled since pandemic began
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $12.325 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $11.723 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $11.194 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 5.1% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 4.7% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 13.8% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $23,400 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $22,300 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $21,400 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $6.975 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 1.4% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 2.9% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 2.3% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 3% (2024 est.)
industry: 9% (2024 est.)
services: 73.8% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 51.4% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 17.1% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 35% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: -2% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 74.4% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -75.7% (2023 est.)
Agricultural products: fruits, vegetables, nuts, other meats, papayas, bananas, tomatoes, maize, pulses, chillies/peppers (2023)
Industries: tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Industrial production growth rate: -2.7% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 270,300 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 4.7% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 4.3% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 4.5% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 16.1% (2024 est.)
male: 20% (2024 est.)
female: 9.5% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 5.4% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019: 29.3 (2019 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.8% (2019 est.)
highest 10%: 23.3% (2019 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 0.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.407 billion (2021 est.)
expenditures: $1.939 billion (2021 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 61.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 19.5% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: -$1.257 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$1.4 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$1.042 billion (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $5.413 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $4.88 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $5.096 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: Thailand 32%, India 21%, Singapore 9%, UK 7%, Germany 5% (2023)
Exports - commodities: fish, aircraft, refined petroleum, scrap iron, natural gas (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $5.344 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $4.984 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $4.939 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: India 15%, UAE 15%, Oman 14%, China 12%, Singapore 8% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, plastic products, aircraft, granite, ships (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $673.886 million (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $590.523 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $832.094 million (2022 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $3.113 billion (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 15.389 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 15.387 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 15.387 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 15.373 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 15.381 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 432,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 821.397 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 25.867 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 6.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: imports: 8 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 13,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 50.886 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 13,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 745,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 137 (2022 est.)
Broadcast media: formerly a state-owned radio and TV monopoly; now 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned TV stations; 4 state-operated and 7 privately owned radio stations (2019)
Internet country code: .mv
Internet users: percent of population: 85% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 98,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 8Q
Airports: 20 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 82 (2023)
by type: general cargo 30, oil tanker 20, other 32
Ports: total ports: 1 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 0
very small: 1
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Male

Military and security forces: Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF): Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Air Corps, Fire and Rescue ServiceMinistry of Homeland Security and Technology (MOHST): Maldives Police Service (2025)
Military expenditures: not available
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 3-4,000 active Defense Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the Defense Force has a limited inventory consisting of mostly secondhand or donated equipment from suppliers such as Germany, India, Japan, Türkiye, and the UK (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for voluntary service; no conscription (2025)
Military - note: the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) is responsible for defending and safeguarding the Maldives' territorial integrity, economic exclusion zone, and people; it is also responsible for disaster relief, and if requested, assisting the Maldives Police Service in maintaining internal security and law and order; maritime security is its largest focus; the Indian Armed Forces have long been the MNDF's most important partner (2025)

Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 54 (2023 est.)
Trafficking in persons: tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Maldives remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/maldives/

Maldives