01
Physical geography
Flat coral atolls, with white sandy beaches; sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive Ridge.
Local timeMalé ·
Asia / Southern Asia · Card 027
Maldives
Maldives is a country in Southern Asia. Its capital is Malé.
Find Maldives
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Malé
- Languages
- Maldivian
- Currency
- Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR)
- Population
- 529,6762025 · World Bank
- Area
- 300 km²116 square miles
- Independence
- 1965from the UK
Maldives in context
Asia and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Malé; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Languages used in public life include Maldivian.
03
Location
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India.
Flag
Red with a large green rectangle in the center and a vertical white crescent moon centered on the rectangle
History & independence
The Maldives ended British protection and became fully independent in 1965. A referendum led to the establishment of a republic in 1968. A new constitution in 2008 introduced a multiparty democratic framework.
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Full independence
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Republic established
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New constitution adopted
Economy
Main activities
Tourism and related services are central, alongside fishing and fish processing. A dispersed island geography makes transport, imported goods and climate resilience especially important.
Industry and production
tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Thousands of people529.72025 · thousands of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 123,219 | 123.219 |
| 1980 | 164,835 | 164.835 |
| 1990 | 224,762 | 224.762 |
| 2000 | 282,019 | 282.019 |
| 2010 | 360,792 | 360.792 |
| 2020 | 502,118 | 502.118 |
| 2025 | 529,676 | 529.676 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars6.62025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,029,918,210 | 1.030 |
| 1991 | 1,044,776,799 | 1.045 |
| 1992 | 1,114,472,036 | 1.114 |
| 1993 | 1,176,400,673 | 1.176 |
| 1994 | 1,267,565,681 | 1.268 |
| 1995 | 1,432,169,027 | 1.432 |
| 1996 | 1,544,718,135 | 1.545 |
| 1997 | 1,674,442,652 | 1.674 |
| 1998 | 1,799,936,820 | 1.800 |
| 1999 | 1,911,094,725 | 1.911 |
| 2000 | 1,984,591,805 | 1.985 |
| 2001 | 1,906,326,757 | 1.906 |
| 2002 | 2,044,885,955 | 2.045 |
| 2003 | 2,326,058,789 | 2.326 |
| 2004 | 2,463,875,272 | 2.464 |
| 2005 | 2,188,480,302 | 2.188 |
| 2006 | 2,705,624,150 | 2.706 |
| 2007 | 2,898,626,608 | 2.899 |
| 2008 | 3,158,820,509 | 3.159 |
| 2009 | 2,895,352,811 | 2.895 |
| 2010 | 3,091,816,044 | 3.092 |
| 2011 | 3,365,238,508 | 3.365 |
| 2012 | 3,445,643,748 | 3.446 |
| 2013 | 3,685,976,099 | 3.686 |
| 2014 | 3,975,719,122 | 3.976 |
| 2015 | 4,129,505,319 | 4.130 |
| 2016 | 4,392,772,972 | 4.393 |
| 2017 | 4,703,536,561 | 4.704 |
| 2018 | 5,106,580,520 | 5.107 |
| 2019 | 5,460,112,148 | 5.460 |
| 2020 | 3,663,253,190 | 3.663 |
| 2021 | 5,037,261,439 | 5.037 |
| 2022 | 5,733,717,715 | 5.734 |
| 2023 | 6,017,127,527 | 6.017 |
| 2024 | 6,227,390,286 | 6.227 |
| 2025 | 6,620,396,113 | 6.620 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.766High human developmentRank 93 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
20000.639
20100.689
20200.730
20230.766
81.0 yearsLife expectancy at birth
7.4 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Presidential republic. People's Majlis (Majlis) has one chamber (a unicameral legislature).
Knowledge check
Three questions about Maldives.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
What landform characterizes the Maldives?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.