Moving to Maldives: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

4 facts — expand for details.

Population

391,904

Population Growth Rate

-0.11%

Urban Population

41.200000

Population in Major Urban Areas

MALE (capital) 132,000

10 facts — expand for details.

Age Structure

21.210000

Median Age

26.700000

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

15

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

3.8

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

1.78

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

34.7%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

34.7%

Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49)

23.9

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.9

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

1.050000

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

-12.65

Ethnic Groups

South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Nationality Noun

Maldivian(s)

6 facts — expand for details.

Literacy - total population

93.8%

Literacy - male

97.1%

Literacy - female

94.7%

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

6.8%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

13.000000

11 facts — expand for details.

Life Expectancy at Birth

74.920000

Infant Mortality Rate

25.500000

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

25.500000

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

60

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

1.6

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

4.3

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

8.5%

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

12.9%

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

99.500000

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

97.500000

Underweight - percent of children under five years

17.8%

4 facts — expand for details.

Economic Overview

Maldives has quickly become a middle-income country, driven by the rapid growth of its tourism and fisheries sectors, but the country still contends with a large and growing fiscal deficit.

Infrastructure projects, largely funded by China, could add significantly to debt levels.

Political turmoil and the declaration of a state of emergency in February 2018 led to the issuance of travel warnings by several countries whose citizens visit Maldives in significant numbers, but the overall impact on tourism revenue was unclear.

In 2015, Maldives’ Parliament passed a constitutional amendment legalizing foreign ownership of land; foreign land-buyers must reclaim at least 70% of the desired land from the ocean and invest at least $1 billion in a construction project approved by Parliament.

Diversifying the economy beyond tourism and fishing, reforming public finance, increasing employment opportunities, and combating corruption, cronyism, and a growing drug problem are near-term 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.

Industries

fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$13,600.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

7.6%

8 facts — expand for details.

GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$7,050,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$13,600.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

7.6%

GDP - official exchange rate

$3,031,000,000 (USD)

GDP by Sector- agriculture

4%

GDP by Sector- Industry

23%

GDP by Sector- services

73%

Industrial Growth Rate

-0.9%

5 facts — expand for details.

Inflation Rate

6%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

rufiyaa (MVR)

Currency Name and Code

Rufiyaa (MVR)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

10.5%

5 facts — expand for details.

Labor Force

110,000

Unemployment Rate

14.5%

Major Industries

fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining

Agriculture Products

coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Population Below Poverty Line

16%

3 facts — expand for details.

Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

15%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

15%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

70%

Annual Budget

$476,000,000 (USD)

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-12.3%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

28.1%

7 facts — expand for details.

Full Country Name

Republic of Maldives

Country Name

Maldives

Local - Long

Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa

Local - Short

Dhivehi Raajje

Etymology- history of name

• archipelago apparently named after the main island (and capital) of Male
• the word "Maldives" means "the islands (dives) of Male"
• alternatively, the name may derive from the Sanskrit word "maladvipa" meaning "garland of islands"
• Dhivehi Raajje in Maldivian means "Kingdom of the Dhivehi people"

Independence

26 July 1965 (from the UK)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

10 facts — expand for details.

Government Type

presidential republic

Constitution

• history: many previous; latest ratified 7 August 2008
• amendments: 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; amended 2015

Legal System:

Islamic (sharia) legal system with English common law influences, primarily in commercial matters

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023); Vice President-elect Hussain Mohamed LATHEEF (since 30 September 2023); the president is both chief of state and head of government
• head of government: President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023); Vice President-elect Hussain Mohamed LATHEEF (since 30 September 2023)
• cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by Parliament
• elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); first round held on 9 September 2023 and runoff held on 30 September 2023 (next to be held in 2028)
• 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% 2018: Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH elected president in first round; Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH (MDP) 58.3%, Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom (PPM) 41.7%

Legislative Branch:

• Description: unicameral Parliament or People's Majlis (87 seats - includes 2 seats added by the Elections Commission in late 2018; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
• Elections: last held on 6 April 2019 (next to be held on 21 April 2024)
• Election Results: percent of vote - MDP 44.7%, JP 10.8%, PPM 8.7%, PNC 6.4%, MDA 2.8%, other 5.6%, independent 21%; seats by party - MDP 65, JP 5, PPM 5, PNC 3, MDA 2, independent 7;
• Composition: men 83, women 4, percent of women 4.6%

Judicial Branch:

• office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission - a 10-member body of selected high government officials and the public - and upon 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)

Regions or States:

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)

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Adhaalath (Justice)
• Party or AP [Sheikh Imran ABDULLA]
• Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRP [Ibrahim Mohamed SOLITH]
• Maldives Development Alliance or MDA [Ahmed Shiyam MOHAMED]
• Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]
• Maldives Third Way Democrats or MTD [Ahmed ADEEB]
• People's National Congress or PNC [Abdul Raheem ABDULLA]
• People's National Front [Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom]
• Republican (Jumhooree)
• Party or JP [Qasim IBRAHIM] (2020)

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

• 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

Capital Name

Male

Capital - geographic coordinate

4 10 N, 73 30 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

4 facts — expand for details.

International Organization Participation:

• ADB
• AOSIS
• 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

International Law Organization Participation:

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Hugo Yue-Ho YON (since 6 September 2023); note - Ambassador YON is the first resident US ambassador to the Republic of Maldives
• 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

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Maldives has no embassy in the US, but its Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, Abdul GHAFOOR Mohamed (since 12 December 2022), is accredited to the US and serves as ambassador
• Chancery: 801 Second Avenue, Suite 201, New York, NY 10017
• Telephone: [1] (212) 599-6194
• FAX: [1] (212) 661-6405
• Email: info@maldivesmission.com
• Website: http://www.maldivesmission.com/

5 facts — expand for details.

Geographic Location

Asia

Geographic Coordinates

3 15 N, 73 00 E

Total Area

115 Square Miles 298 Square Kilometers

Land Area

115 Square Miles 298 Square Kilometers

Coastline

400 Miles 644 Kilometers

5 facts — expand for details.

Terrain

flat, with white sandy beaches

Highest Point

2 Meters

Highest Point Location

unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu Atoll 2.4 m

Lowest Point Location

Indian Ocean 0 m

Natural Resources

fish

Time Zone

UTC+5 (10 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

4 facts — expand for details.

Climate

• tropical
• hot, humid
• dry, northeast monsoon (November to March)
• rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Terrain

flat, with white sandy beaches

Location

Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India

Total Area

115 Square Miles 298 Square Kilometers

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

4 facts — expand for details.

Exports

$163,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$967,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

fish, clothing

Major Imports

consumer goods, intermediate and capital goods, petroleum products

Top Export Partners

US 52.6%, Sri Lanka 13.3%, Thailand 9.5%, Japan 7.6%, UK 4.7%

Top Import Partners

Singapore 26.6%, UAE 15%, Sri Lanka 13.2%, India 7%, Malaysia 5.7%, Thailand 4.1%

Export Partners

US 52.6%, Sri Lanka 13.3%, Thailand 9.5%, Japan 7.6%, UK 4.7%

Import Partners

Singapore 26.6%, UAE 15%, Sri Lanka 13.2%, India 7%, Malaysia 5.7%, Thailand 4.1%

2 facts — expand for details.

Country Description

The Republic of Maldives consists of 1,190 islands (approximately 200 are inhabited) in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka.

It is a presidential-parliamentary democracy and has a population of fewer than 325,000, with approximately 100,000 people residing in the capital city of Malé, and an estimated 100,000 foreign workers.

Beautiful atolls, inhabited by over 1,100 species of fish and other sea life, attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

Tourism facilities are well developed on the resort islands.

Safety & Security

Maldives held its first-ever multi-party democratic election in late 2008.

On November 16, 2013 Abdulla Yameen was elected President in a run-off election.

In recent months during the Presidential election, the capital city of Malé had recurrent protests.

Political demonstrations and social unrest resulted in the police forcibly dispersing crowds.

Protests were generally confined to the capital city and primarily occurred during the evenings.

There were no reports of unrest or demonstrations on the resort islands or at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.

You should not engage in political activity in Maldives.

You should exercise caution and avoid demonstrations and spontaneous gatherings.

If you encounter demonstrations or large crowds, you should remain calm and depart the area quickly and avoid confrontation.

While traveling in Maldives, you should refer to news sources, check the U.S.

Embassy Colombo website for possible security updates and remain aware of your surroundings at all times.

2 facts — expand for details.

Crime

Maldives has a low crime rate, but theft of valuables left unattended on beaches or in hotels does occur.

Drug use is on the rise among young Maldivians and the penalty for drug use is severe.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available.

Not only are bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Maldives, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own.

In some places, you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you.

In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings.

Driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail.

These criminal penalties will vary from country to country.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States; for example, you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

If you break local laws in Maldives, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It is very important to know what is legal and what is not legal wherever you go.

While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case.

To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify U.S. embassy in Colombo as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

2 facts — expand for details.

Medical Facilities

There is no 911 equivalent for medical emergencies in Maldives; 119 is for the police only, and the Coast Guard responds to 191 calls for maritime emergencies.

A patient would have to call an individual hospital for ambulance services.

The quality of medical care in such instances may be uncertain, as most ambulances are ill-equipped.

Maldives has limited medical facilities.

There are two hospitals in Malé: the government-owned Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) and the privately-owned Abduarahman Don Kaleyfan Hospital (ADK).

IGMH does not accept insurance plans, though ADK accepts some.

The hospitals perform limited general and orthopedic surgery, but Maldives has no trauma units and a small number of ICU beds.

Persons needing treatments not offered in Maldives require evacuation to the nearest adequate medical facility, such as in Singapore.

Five recompression chambers are available in Maldives.

The largest and longest operating recompression chamber is on Bandos Island (15 minutes by speedboat from Malé).

The others are located on Cinnamon Alidhoo Resort, Villingili Resort in Addu, Kuramathi Resort, and Kandholhudhoo Islands.

Traffic Safety

While in Maldives, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

The information below concerning Maldives is provided for general reference only, and may vary by location or circumstance.

Only a few of the islands are large enough to support automobiles.

Most transportation in Maldives is by boat or seaplane (air taxi).

Maldives has good safety standards for land, sea, and air travel.

Roads in Malé and on the airport island are brick and generally well maintained.

Dirt roads on resort islands are well-kept by the resorts.

Transportation in Malé is either by foot, by bus, or by readily available taxis that charge a fixed fee for any single journey.

Transportation between the airport and Malé, as well as to nearby resort islands, is by motorized water taxi and speedboat.

Several local companies provide seaplane service to outlying islands.

Air taxis stop flying one hour before sunset, and several resorts do not transport passengers by boat between the airport and the resort island later than one hour before sunset.

Visitors to distant resorts arriving in the country at night can expect to stay overnight at a hotel in Malé or at the airport hotel and should confirm transfer arrangements in advance.

4 facts — expand for details.

Airports - total

9

Airports with Paved Runways

7

Roadways- total

55 Miles 88 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Gan, Male

7 facts — expand for details.

Telephones

49,913

Cell Phones

317,800

Internet Users

33,000

Internet Country Code

.mv

Internet Hosts

2,164

Broadcast Media

• state-owned radio and TV monopoly until recently
• state-owned TV operates 2 channels
• 3 privately owned TV stations
• state owns Voice of Maldives and operates both an entertainment and a music-based station
• 5 privately owned radio stations

Telephone System

• assessment: telephone services have improved; inter-atoll communication through microwave links; all inhabited islands and resorts are connected with telephone and fax service
• domestic: each island now has at least 1 public telephone, and there are mobile-cellular networks with a rapidly expanding subscribership that has reached 135 per 100 persons
• international: country code - 960; linked to international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth station - 3 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

542,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

542,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

6,875

2 facts — expand for details.

Anthem Lyrics

1.

Gavmii mi ekuverikan matii tibegen kuriime salaam, Gavmii bahun gina heyo du'aa kuramun kuriime salaam.

Gavmii nishaanang hurmataa eku boo lambai tibegen Audaanakan libigen e vaa dida-ak kuriime salaam. 2.

Nasraa nasiibaa kaamyaabu-ge ramzakang himenee Fessaa rataai hudaa ekii fenumun kuriime salaam.

Fakhraa sharaf gavmang e hoodai devvi batalunna' Zikraage mativeri l entakun adugai kuriime salaam.

Divehiinge ummay kuri arai silmaa salaamatugai Divehiinge nan molu vun adai tibegen kuriime salaam. 3.

Minivankamaa madaniyyataa libigen mi 'aalamugai Dinigen hitaamatakun tibun edigen kuriime salaam.

Dinaai verinnang heyo hitun hurmay adaa kuramun Siidaa vafaaterikan matii tibegen kuriime salaam.

Davlatuge aburaa 'izzataa mativeri vegen abada' Audaana vun edi heyo du'aa kuramun kuriime salaam.

Anthem Lyrics English

We salute you in this national unity.

We salute you, with many good wishes in the national tongue, Bowing the head in respect to the national symbol.

We salute the flag that has such might; It falls into the sphere of victory, fortune and success With its green and red and white together, and therefore we salute it. 2.

To those heroes who sought out honour and pride for the nation We give salute today in auspicious verses of remembrance.

May the nation of the Maldivian Islanders advance under guard and protection And the name of the Maldivian Islanders become great.

Thus we pledge as we salute. 3.

We wish for their freedom and progress in this world And for their freedom from sorrows, and thus we salute.

With full respect and heartfelt blessing towards religion and our leaders, We salute you in uprightness and truth.

May the State ever have auspicious honour and respect.

With good wishes for your continuing might, we salute you.