Maldives

At a glance Land People Economy Achievements and challenges Links with Australia Maldives at a glance Did you know? Few of the islands take longer than 30 minutes to cross on foot but travel to other islands can take many hours by boat. Region South Asia Population 379,174 (2008 estimate) Land Geography: Flat, sandy beaches, coral atoll Climate: Tropical People Religion: Sunni Muslim Language: Maldivian Dhivehi Economy GDP per person (PPP): $4,600 GDP by sector: Agriculture 16%, Industry 7%, Services 77% Government Republic   Land Physical geography The Republic of Maldives is a chain of 1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls in the Indian Ocean, 670 kilometres south-west of Sri Lanka. Situated on the equator, they stretch 820 kilometres north to south and 120 kilometres east to west. They have a land area of 300 square kilometres. Surrounded by barrier reefs (faros), 80% of the area is one metre or less above sea level. The highest point of 2.4 metres is an unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll. Climate The Maldives have a tropical, hot and humid climate with a dry northeast monsoon (November to March) and a rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August). In the capital, Malé, the average annual rainfall is 2,130 millimetres and the average temperature is 27°C. Environment Coral reefs support an abundance of marine life. There are over 200 species of coral and over 1,000 species of fish, from the tiny fire goby to the harmless plankton-eating whale shark which can reach 12 metres in length. On land, there are breeding colonies of frigatebirds and noddies, as well as grey heron and moor hen. Flying fox and shrew are the main mammals. Coconut palms, breadfruit and screwpines grow profusely on many islands, although the soil lacks nutrients. There are a range of environment policies to protect fresh water resources, manage waste, and ban coral reef mining and the killing of turtles. The entire capital island is enclosed with a three-metre sea wall to limit the impact of monsoonal storms. Trees are being planted to prevent beach erosion and sport fishing is often confined to tagging-and-releasing in order to protect the fish stocks. People The population of 379,174 people are spread out sparsely over about 200 of the 1,190 islands. Another 80 islands are used as tourist resorts. About 30% live in towns. The capital, Malé, is the largest city with a population of 62,973, followed by Hithadhoo (9,640), Fuamulah (7,243) and Kulhudhufushi (6,354). People Culture and identity The Maldivian cultural identity is a mix of the diverse origins, including Southern India, Sri Lanka, the Middle East and East Africa. There is a close-knit system of extended families to provide support for family members in difficulty. Traditionally, men go out fishing during the day and women are responsible for the affairs of the family and community, often holding strong positions in government and business. The red border on the flag the symbolises the blood of those who fought for the independence and the sovereignty of the nation. The green rectangle denotes life, progress and prosperity. The white crescent represents the Islamic faith of the nation. The language of the Maldivians, Dhivehi, has its roots in Sanskrit. It also has strong Arabic influences, being written from right to left. Vocabulary and pronunciation vary from atoll to atoll. Traditional crafts include stone carving, calligraphy, wooden lacquerware and woven reed mats. Traditional boats, dhonis, are built using the original designs but using modern tools, imported hardwoods instead of coconuts, and copper rivets instead of coir. Today they are powered by diesel engines rather than the triangular lateen sail which replaced square sails made of coconut fronds. Dhoni can range in size from three metres for short distances, to 10 metres for fishing, to up to 30 metres for luxury cruises. Health Government spending on health is 6.3% of GDP and life expectancy at birth is 65 years (men 63.73 years and women 66.58 years). About four out five people have access to safe water while only three out of five have adequate sanitation facilities. Infant mortality was 52 per 1,000 live births in 2007 (180 in 1960). Malaria has been practically eradicated and diarrhoeal diseases have been considerably reduced. There is a low rate of HIV (0.1%). Religion and beliefs The population is Sunni Muslim and life is structured around religious observation. There is a call to prayer five times a day. The main observations are Ramadan (30 days of fasting) and Kuda Eid (a period of morning prayer and feasting with the family and neighbours). Eid-ul Al’h’aa is a week of celebrations, with sports, music and dance and, for some, the pilgrimage to Mecca. The prophet’s birthday is also a day of great festivity. Food and shelter The diverse origins of the Maldivian population are reflected in their cuisine. The Arabic, Indian and Sri Lankan spices and vegetables give a unique blend of flavours to the local fish, taro and sweet potatoes. Most staple foods must be imported. Most residential units throughout the country have brick walls, some of which are also plastered, and roofs made of galvanized metal sheets. The use of coral for building has decreased since mining was banned. Some homes are still made with the local timbers. The average dwelling contains between three to six rooms. About 84% of households have electric lighting, but firewood and oil are the primary heating and cooking fuels. Economy Wealth and poverty People living in towns and working for government are usually far wealthier than those living on remote islands. About 21% of the population live below the poverty line. Education and work There is a high literacy rate of 96.3% (male: 96.2% and female: 96.4%) and public spending on education was 7.1% of GDP in 2004/5. There are seven years of compulsory education although only about 80% of children attend primary school. Only around 5% of students go to secondary schools (grades 8-10) which are only available in atoll capitals and on the islands with larger populations. Tuition is in Maldivian and English. Two thirds of the population work in the service industry with about one in five working in agriculture and in industry. Industries and products Tourism is Maldives' largest industry followed by fishing. Industries centre on the ocean and include tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments processing along with traditional crafts of woven mats, rope and handicrafts. Agriculture is limited by cultivable land and the shortage of labour. In 2006, Maldives exported $167 million worth of fish (mainly tuna) to Thailand (26.9%), the UK (17%), Sri Lanka (14.5%), France (8.4%), Algeria (7.8%) and Japan (6.1%). It imported $930 million worth of petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, clothing, intermediate and capital goods from Singapore (22.7%), the UAE (15.5%), India (11.2%), Malaysia (10.8%), Sri Lanka (5.7%) and Thailand (5.3%). Achievements and challenges With 80% of the area one metre or less above sea level, rising sea levels is the greatest challenge facing the Maldives. The environmental pressures of population growth, urbanisation and housing, water and energy use, transport, fisheries, agriculture and tourism are challenges typical of small island nations. Development continues to rest heavily on two industries, tourism and fisheries, both of which are vulnerable to climate change. Environmental science is taught in every school, and given the same importance as writing and maths. All new tourist resorts are subject to a rigorous environmental impact study and developers are only allowed to build on 20% of the islands. Links with Australia Australia's development cooperation program to the Maldives provides scholarships for Maldivians to study in Australia in priority areas such as governance, health, education and environment. After the devastation caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami the Australian Government provided significant relief aid through the World Food Program and UNDP and engineers for reconstruction. Main Sources: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html http://www20.sbs.com.au/worldguide/index.php http://hdr.undp.org/ http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/index.html Map and flag https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mv.html

Boys play soccer in Kolhu Fushi village Meemu Atoll. Will Salter/AusAID

Fishing, using traditional boats known as dhoni, is the main activity for many people living on the atolls of the Maldives. Will Salter

Fuel, food, water, and housing materials need to be shipped into Male and then shipped out to the other islands, many of which are up to 15 hours away. A man loads his boat at Malé Port near the gold dome of the Grand Friday Mosque. Will Salter

Dr John Gunn, Deputy Chief of research with CSIRO, dives underwater to examine the state of the coral reef at Mulaku Atoll near Kolhufushi. Will Salter