| A
group
of
some
1,200
islands,
202
of
which
are
inhabited,
lying
between
just
south
of
the
equator
and
8
degrees
north
in
Northern
Indian
Ocean,
675
kilometres
southwest
of
Sri
Lanka. |
| Neighboring
countries:northeast:
Sri
Lanka;
and,north:
India. |
| Time:Greenwich
Mean
Time
plus
5
hours. |
|
Climate:
tropical;
|
-
temperature
range
25
degrees
to
29
degrees
Celsius;most
of
area
subject
to
the
southwest
monsoon
(June-August)
and
the
northwest
monsoon
(November-March);rainfall
heaviest
during
southwest
monsoon
season;
and,annual
rainfall
averages
254
centimetres
in
north,
381
centimetres
in
south.
|
|
Status:republic
-
Male
(estimated
population
56,060).
- Population:
209,000
increasing
by
3.4
per
cent
per
year;44.8
per
cent
under
15
years
of
age;life
expectancy
60
years;
and,infant
mortality
77
per
1,000
live
births.
-
|
|
Main
language:
-
Dhivehi.
English
used
as
a
second
language.
- Main
religion:Islam
|
|
Currency:
-
1
Rufiyaa
(Maldivian
Rupee)
(US$0.095)
=
100
laari
(larees).
|
| |
| Exports:fresh
and
dried
fish,
clothing,
sea
cucumber. |
| Imports:manufactured
goods,
petroleum
products,
foodstuffs
(including
rice),
intermediate
and
capital
goods. |
| Main
industries:fishing,
garments,
coconut
processing,
shipping. |
| Main
crops:coconut,
millet,
sorghum,
maize. |
| Tourism:rapidly
expanding
industry
and
Maldives'
largest
source
of
foreign
exchange;
approximately
170,000
visitors
per
year. |
| More
information
on
Maldives |
