1,020 km 1.000-meter gauge
Highways:
40,000 km total; 4,694 km paved, 811 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized
soil, 34,495 km improved and unimproved earth (est.)
Inland waterways:
of local importance only; isolated streams and small portions of Canal des
Pangalanes
Ports:
Toamasina, Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toliara
Merchant marine:
14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 59,255 GRT/81,509 DWT; includes 9
cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 1 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 1
liquefied gas
Civil air:
8 major transport aircraft
Airports:
148 total, 103 usable; 30 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 34 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
above average system includes open-wire lines, coaxial cables, radio relay,
and troposcatter links; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations
- 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and broadcast stations - 17 AM, 3 FM, 1 (36
repeaters) TV
:Madagascar Defense Forces
Branches:
Popular Armed Forces (including Intervention Forces, Development Forces,
Aeronaval Forces - including Navy and Air Force), Gendarmerie, Presidential
Security Regiment
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 2,730,713; 1,625,335 fit for military service; 114,687 reach
military age (20) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $37 million, 2.2% of GDP (1989 est.)
:Malawi Geography
Total area:
118,480 km2
Land area:
94,080 km2
Comparative area:
slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Land boundaries:
2,881 km; Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Coastline:
none - landlocked
Maritime claims:
none - landlocked
Disputes:
dispute with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)
Climate:
tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November)
Terrain:
narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some mountains
Natural resources:
limestone; unexploited deposits of uranium, coal, and bauxite
Land use:
arable land 25%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 20%; forest and
woodland 50%; other 5%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Environment:
deforestation
Note:
landlocked
:Malawi People
Population:
9,605,342 (July 1992), growth rate 1.8% (1992); note - 900,000 Mozambican
refugees in Malawi (1990 est.)
Birth rate:
52 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
17 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-17 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
134 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
48 years male, 51 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
7.6 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Malawian(s); adjective - Malawian
Ethnic divisions:
Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuko, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde, Asian,
European
Religions:
Protestant 55%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 20%; traditional indigenous
beliefs are also practiced
Languages:
English and Chichewa (official); other languages important regionally
Literacy:
22% (male 34%, female 12%) age 15 and over can read and write (1966)
Labor force:
428,000 wage earners; agriculture 43%, manufacturing 16%, personal services
15%, commerce 9%, construction 7%, miscellaneous services 4%, other
permanently employed 6% (1986)
Organized labor:
small minority of wage earners are unionized
:Malawi Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Malawi
Type:
one-party state
Capital:
Lilongwe
Administrative divisions:
24 districts; Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga,
Kasungu, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza,
Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Rumphi, Salima,
Thyolo, Zomba
Independence:
6 July 1964 (from UK; formerly Nyasaland)
Constitution:
6 July 1964; republished as amended January 1974
Legal system:
based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Independence Day, 6 July (1964)
Executive branch:
president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly
Judicial branch:
High Court, Supreme Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Dr. Hastings Kamuzu BANDA (since 6 July 1966; sworn in as
President for Life 6 July 1971)
Political parties and leaders:
only party - Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Wadson DELEZA, administrative
secretary; John TEMBO, treasurer general; top party position of secretary
general vacant since 1983
Suffrage:
universal at age 21
Elections:
President:
President BANDA sworn in as President for Life on 6 July 1971
National Assembly:
last held 27-28 May 1987 (next to be held by May 1992); results - MCP is the
only party; seats - (133 total, 112 elected) MCP 133
Member of:
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LORCS,
NAM, OAU, SADCC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Robert B. MBAYA; Chancery at 2408 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 797-1007
US:
Ambassador Michael T. F. PISTOR; Embassy in new capital city development
area, address NA (mailing address is P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe); telephone
[265] 730-166; FAX [265] 732-282
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a radiant,
rising, red sun centered in the black band; similar to the flag of
Afghanistan, which is longer and has the national coat of arms superimposed
on the hoist side of the black and red bands
:Malawi Economy
Overview:
Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed countries. The
economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90% of the population
living in rural areas. Agriculture accounts for 40% of GDP and 90% of export
revenues. After two years of weak performance, economic growth improved
significantly in 1988-91 as a result of good weather and a broadly based
economic adjustment effort by the government. The economy depends on
substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and
individual donor nations.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $1.9 billion, per capita $200; growth rate 4.2%
(1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $398 million; expenditures $510 million, including capital
expenditures of $154 million (FY91 est.)
Exports:
$390 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
commodities:
tobacco, tea, sugar, coffee, peanuts
partners:
US, UK, Zambia, South Africa, Germany
Imports:
$560 million (c.i.f., 1990 est.)
commodities:
food, petroleum, semimanufactures, consumer goods, transportation equipment
partners:
South Africa, Japan, US, UK, Zimbabwe
External debt:
$1.8 billion (December 1991 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 4.0% (1990 est.); accounts for about 18% of GDP (1988)
Electricity:
185,000 kW capacity; 550 million kWh produced, 60 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
agricultural processing (tea, tobacco, sugar), sawmilling, cement, consumer
goods
Agriculture:
accounts for 40% of GDP; cash crops - tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, and
corn; subsistence crops - potatoes, cassava, sorghum, pulses; livestock -
cattle and goats
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $215 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2,150 million
Currency:
Malawian kwacha (plural - kwacha); 1 Malawian kwacha (MK) = 100 tambala
Exchange rates:
Malawian kwacha (MK) per US$1 - 2.7200 (January 1992), 2.8033 (1991), 2.7289
(1990), 2.7595 (1989), 2.5613 (1988), 2.2087 (1987)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
:Malawi Communications
Railroads:
789 km 1.067-meter gauge
Highways:
13,135 km total; 2,364 km paved; 251 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized
soil; 10,520 km earth and improved earth
Inland waterways:
Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi); Shire River, 144 km
Ports:
Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, and Nkotakota - all on Lake Nyasa (Lake
Malawi)
Civil air:
5 major transport aircraft
Airports:
48 total, 43 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
fair system of open-wire lines, radio relay links, and radio communications
stations; 42,250 telephones; broadcast stations - 10 AM, 17 FM, no TV;
satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT
Note:
a majority of exports would normally go through Mozambique on the Beira or
Nacala railroads, but now most go through South Africa because of insurgent
activity and damage to rail lines
:Malawi Defense Forces
Branches:
Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including
paramilitary Mobile Force Unit), paramilitary Malawi Young Pioneers
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 2,000,406; 1,016,901 fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $22 million, 1.6% of GDP (1989 est.)
:Malaysia Geography
Total area:
329,750 km2
Land area:
328,550 km2
Comparative area:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
2,669 km; Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782, Thailand 506 km
Coastline:
4,675 km; Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation, specified boundary in the South
China Sea
Exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China,
Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; State of Sabah claimed by
the Philippines; Brunei may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that
divides Brunei into two parts; two islands in dispute with Singapore
Climate:
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to
February) monsoons
Terrain:
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Natural resources:
tin, crude oil, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use:
arable land 3%; permanent crops 10%; meadows and pastures NEGL%; forest and
woodland 63%; other 24%; includes irrigated 1%
Environment:
subject to flooding; air and water pollution
Note:
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea
:Malaysia People
Population:
18,410,920 (July 1992), growth rate 2.4% (1992)
Birth rate:
29 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
27 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
66 years male, 71 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
3.6 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Malaysian(s); adjective - Malaysian
Ethnic divisions:
Malay and other indigenous 59%, Chinese 32%, Indian 9%
Religions:
Peninsular Malaysia - Malays nearly all Muslim, Chinese predominantly
Buddhists, Indians predominantly Hindu; Sabah - Muslim 38%, Christian 17%,
other 45%; Sarawak - tribal religion 35%, Buddhist and Confucianist 24%,
Muslim 20%, Christian 16%, other 5%
Languages:
Peninsular Malaysia - Malay (official); English, Chinese dialects, Tamil;
Sabah - English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Mandarin and Hakka
dialects predominate among Chinese; Sarawak - English, Malay, Mandarin,
numerous tribal languages
Literacy:
78% (male 86%, female 70%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
7,258,000 (1991 est.)
Organized labor:
640,000; 10% of total labor force (1990)
:Malaysia Government
Long-form name:
none
Type:
Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963; constitutional monarchy nominally
headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament; Peninsular
Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, where governors are
appointed by Malaysian Pulau Pinang Government; powers of state governments
are limited by federal Constitution; Sabah - self-governing state, holds 20
seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal
security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak -
self-governing state within Malaysia, holds 27 seats in House of
Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other
powers delegated to federal government
Capital:
Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions:
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 2 federal territories*
(wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah,
Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau
Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*
Independence:
31 August 1957 (from UK)
Constitution:
31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963 when Federation of Malaya became
Federation of Malaysia
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the
Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
National Day, 31 August (1957)
Executive branch:
paramount ruler, deputy paramount ruler, prime minister, deputy prime
minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament (Parlimen) consists of an upper house or Senate (Dewan
Negara) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Paramount Ruler AZLAN Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Sultan Yusof Izzudin (since 26
April 1989); Deputy Paramount Ruler JA'AFAR ibni Abdul Rahman (since 26
April 1989)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime
Minister Abdul GHAFAR Bin Baba (since 7 May 1986)
Political parties and leaders:
Peninsular Malaysia:
National Front, a confederation of 13 political parties dominated by United
Malays National Organization Baru (UMNO Baru), MAHATHIR bin Mohamad;
Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), LING Liong Sik; Gerakan Rakyat
Malaysia, Datuk LIM Keng Yaik; Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), Datuk S.
Samy VELLU
Sabah:
Berjaya Party, Datuk Haji Mohammed NOOR Mansor; Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Joseph
Pairin KITINGAN; United Sabah National Organizaton (USNO), leader NA
:Malaysia Government
Sarawak:
coalition Sarawak National Front composed of the Party Pesaka Bumiputra
Bersatu (PBB), Datuk Patinggi Amar Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud; Sarawak United
People's Party (SUPP), Datuk Amar James WONG Soon Kai; Sarawak National
Party (SNAP), Datuk Amar James WONG; Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), Datuk
Leo MOGGIE; major opposition parties are Democratic Action Party (DAP), LIM
Kit Siang and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), Fadzil NOOR
Suffrage:
universal at age 21
Elections:
House of Representatives:
last held 21 October 1990 (next to be held by August 1995); results -
National Front 52%, other 48%; seats - (180 total) National Front 127, DAP
20, PAS 7, independents 4, other 22; note - within the National Front, UMNO
got 71 seats and MCA 18 seats
Member of:
APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNIIMOG, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Abdul MAJID Mohamed; Chancery at 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 328-2700; there are Malaysian
Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York
US:
Ambassador Paul M. CLEVELAND; Embassy at 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala
Lumpur (mailing address is P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur);
telephone [60] (3) 248-9011; FAX [60] (3) 242-2207
Flag:
fourteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white
(bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a
yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the
star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of
the US
:Malaysia Economy
Overview:
During the period 1988-91 booming exports helped Malaysia continue to
recover from the severe 1985-86 recession. Real output grew by 8.8% in 1989,
10% in 1990, and 8.6% in 1991, helped by vigorous growth in manufacturing
output, further increases in foreign direct investment - particularly from
Japanese and Taiwanese firms facing higher costs at home - and increased oil
production. Malaysia has become the world's third-largest producer of
semiconductor devices (after the US and Japan) and the world's largest
exporter of semiconductor devices. Inflation has remained low; unemployment
has stood at 6% of the labor force; and the government has followed prudent
fiscal/monetary policies. The country is not self-sufficient in food, and
some of the rural population subsist at the poverty level. Malaysia's high
export dependence leaves it vulnerable to a recession in the OECD countries
or a fall in world commodity prices.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $48.0 billion, per capita $2,670; real growth
rate 8.6% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5.8% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues $12.2 billion; expenditures $14.4 billion, including capital
expenditures of $3.2 billion (1991 est.)
Exports:
$35.4 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
electrical manufactures, crude petroleum, timber, rubber, palm oil, textiles
partners:
Singapore, US, Japan, EC
Imports:
$38.7 billion (c.i.f., 1991)
commodities:
food, crude oil, consumer goods, intermediate goods, capital equipment,
chemicals
partners:
Japan, US, Singapore, Germany, UK
External debt:
$21.3 billion (1991 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 18% (1990); accounts for 40% of GDP
Electricity:
5,600,000 kW capacity; 16,500 million kWh produced, 940 kWh per capita
(1990)
Industries:
Peninsular Malaysia:
rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing
industry, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging and processing
timber
Sabah:
logging, petroleum production
Sarawak:
agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging
Agriculture:
Peninsular Malaysia:
natural rubber, palm oil, rice
Sabah:
mainly subsistence, but also rubber, timber, coconut, rice
:Malaysia Economy
Sarawak:
rubber, timber, pepper; there is a deficit of rice in all areas; fish catch
of 608,000 metric tons in 1987
Illicit drugs:
transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the US, Western Europe,
and the Third World
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-84), $170 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.7 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $42 million
Currency:
ringgit (plural - ringgits); 1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen
Exchange rates:
ringgits (M$) per US$1 - 2.6930 (January 1992), 2.7501 (1991), 1.7048
(1990), 2.7088 (1989), 2.6188 (1988), 2.5196 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:Malaysia Communications
Railroads:
Peninsular Malaysia:
1,665 km 1.04-meter gauge; 13 km double track, government owned
Railroads:
Sabah:
136 km 1.000-meter gauge
Highways:
Peninsular Malaysia:
23,600 km (19,352 km hard surfaced, mostly bituminous-surface treatment, and
4,248 km unpaved)
Sabah:
3,782 km
Sarawak:
1,644 km
Inland waterways:
Peninsular Malaysia:
3,209 km
Sabah:
1,569 km
Sarawak:
2,518 km
Pipelines:
crude oil 1,307 km; natural gas 379 km
Ports:
Tanjong Kidurong, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port Kelang,
Sandakan, Tawau
Merchant marine:
167 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,653,633 GRT/2,444,393 DWT; includes
1 passenger-cargo, 1 short-sea passenger, 64 cargo, 27 container, 2 vehicle
carrier, 2 roll-on/roll-off, 1 livestock carrier, 37 petroleum tanker, 5
chemical tanker, 6 liquefied gas, 21 bulk
Civil air:
53 major transport aircraft
Airports:
115 total, 108 usable; 33 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways
over 3,659 m; 7 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 18 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
good intercity service provided to Peninsular Malaysia mainly by radio
relay; adequate intercity radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via
Brunei; international service good; good coverage by radio and television
broadcasts; 994,860 telephones (1984); broadcast stations - 28 AM, 3 FM, 33
TV; submarine cables extend to India and Sarawak; SEACOM submarine cable
links to Hong Kong and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean
INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT, and 2 domestic
:Malaysia Defense Forces
Branches:
Royal Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal
Malaysian Police Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 4,728,103; 2,878,574 fit for military service; 179,486 reach
military age (21) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $2.4 billion, about 5% of GDP (1992 budget)
:Maldives Geography
Total area:
300 km2
Land area:
300 km2
Comparative area:
slightly more than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
644 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
35-310 nm (defined by geographic coordinates; segment of zone coincides with
maritime boundary with India)
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy,
southwest monsoon (June to August)
Terrain:
flat with elevations only as high as 2.5 meters
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land 10%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 3%; forest and
woodland 3%; other 84%
Environment:
1,200 coral islands grouped into 19 atolls
Note:
archipelago of strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in
Indian Ocean
:Maldives People
Population:
234,371 (July 1992), growth rate 3.7% (1992)
Birth rate:
45 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
61 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
62 years male, 64 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
6.5 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Maldivian(s); adjective - Maldivian
Ethnic divisions:
Maldivians are a generally homogenous admixture of Sinhalese, Dravidian,
Arab, Austrolasian, and African
Religions:
Sunni Muslim
Languages:
Divehi (dialect of Sinhala; script derived from Arabic); English spoken by
most government officials
Literacy:
92% (male 92%, female 92%) age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
Labor force:
66,000 (est.); 25% engaged in fishing industry
Organized labor:
none
:Maldives Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Maldives
Type:
republic
Capital:
Male
Administrative divisions:
19 district (atolls); Aliff, Baa, Daalu, Faafu, Gaafu Aliff, Gaafu Daalu,
Haa Aliff, Haa Daalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Laviyani, Meemu, Naviyani, Noonu, Raa,
Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Waavu
Independence:
26 July 1965 (from UK)
Constitution:
4 June 1964
Legal system:
based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in
commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Independence Day, 26 July (1965)
Executive branch:
president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral Citizens' Council (Majlis)
Judicial branch:
High Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November 1978)
Political parties and leaders:
no organized political parties; country governed by the Didi clan for the
past eight centuries
Suffrage:
universal at age 21
Elections:
President:
last held 23 September 1988 (next to be held September 1994); results -
President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected
Citizens' Council:
last held on 7 December 1989 (next to be held 7 December 1994); results -
percent of vote NA; seats - (48 total, 40 elected)
Member of:
AsDB, C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF,
IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Maldives does not maintain an embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission
in New York
US:
the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic
visits there; US Consular Agency, Midhath Hilmy, Male; telephone 2581
Flag:
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
:Maldives Economy