GOVERNMENT SYSTEM: Republic

Main Powers Election Process Election Cycle 1

The president is head of state and

government, and is commander-in- Elected by absolute majority vote through a
Executive 5 years
chief of the Maldives National two-round system.
Defense Force.

Judges are appointed by the president in

Highest court for interpretation, Mandatory
consultation with the Judicial Service
Judicial protection, and enforcement of the retirement age
Commission, and upon confirmation by voting
constitution. of 70
members of the Peoples's Majlis.

The People's Majlis have the

authority to enact, amend, and 77 members are elected by plurality vote in
Legislative 4 years
revise laws aside from the single-member constituencies.
constitution.

CAPITAL: Male
Mal is both a city and an island, combining cosmopolitan style with laid-back islander roots. Candy-colored
skyscrapers dominate the spectacular skyline, artificial beaches beckon visitors to the turquoise waters and historic
sites await exploration. The islet is only 1.7 kilometers long and just one kilometer wide, but more than 100,000
people call it home. It is the world's densest city, making it easy to explore on foot. You can walk around the entire
island in about an hour, and nearly all the sights are conveniently concentrated on the north shore.
POPULATION: 417,492 (Source: World Bank, 2016)
AREA: 298 square kilometers (115.1 square miles), 1,200 coral islands, 1.5m above sea level
Of the 1200 islands only 200 are inhabited by local Maldivian people, nearly 100 islands have been
developed as tourist resorts and the remaining islands are uninhabited.
CURRENCY: Maldivian Rufiyaa (Notes) and Laari (Coins); 1MVR = 3.27PHP
LANGUAGE: Dhivehi
The countrys primary language is Dhivehi. Interestingly enough, Dhivehi is a unique mixture of Arabic,
English, Hindi, Sinhalese and Urdu. Hence, it is similar to many of the languages spoken in North India, South East
Asia, and Sri Lanka. Though there are a few dialects of Dhivehi spoken in the Maldives, formal Dhivehi is used in
education and all government transactions. Dhivehi is written right to left.
Since tourism is a major industry in the country, almost all popular international languages are such as
English, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese are widely spoken, especially at the hotels and resorts. Most travelers
will easily find someone who can communicate with them fluently.
RELIGION: Sunny Islam
Islam is the official religion, all citizens must be Muslims, and the practice of a faith other than Islam is
forbidden. Originally Buddhists, Maldivians were converted to Sunni Islam in the mid-12th century. For over eight
centuries, the Maldives has existed as a Muslim nation, and its national identity is intertwined with that of Islam.
The Government is committed to preserving that identity and promoting the true Islamic values of respect and
tolerance. Islam is the official religion of the entire population.
Sunni Islam is based on the belief that the Prophet Muhammad died without appointing a successor to lead
the Muslim community (ummah). According to Sunni Muslims, after Muhammad's death, the confusion that ensued
from not having a person to head the community led to the election of Abu Bakr, the Prophet's close friend and
father-in-law, as the first Caliph. This contrasts with the Shi'a Muslim belief that Muhammad himself appointed his
first successor to be Ali ibn Abi Talib as the first Caliph and the first Muslim imam. The sectarian split that occurred
in Islam between Sunni and Shi'a Muslims is based upon this early question of leadership.
SPORTS:

Football (Soccer)
Tennis
Baseball
Badminton
Basketball
Table Tennis
Billiards
Beach Volleyball