Long-form name: Republic of Maldives

Type: republic

Capital: Male

Administrative divisions: 19 districts; Aliff, Baa, Daalu, Faafu, Gaafu Aliff, Gaafu Daalu, Haa Aliff, Haa Daalu, Kaafu, Laamu, Laviyani, Meemu, Naviyani, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Waavu

Independence: 26 July 1965 (from UK)

Constitution: 4 June 1964

Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Branches: popularly elected unicameral national legislature, People's Council (members elected for five-year terms); elected president, chief executive; appointed chief justice responsible for administration of Islamic law

Leader: @m5Chief of State and Head of Government--President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since since 11 November 1978)

Suffrage: universal over age 21

Elections: presidential election held November 1988, next scheduled for 1994

Political parties and leaders: no organized political parties; country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries

Communists: negligible

Member of: ADB, Colombo Plan, Commonwealth (special member), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, ITU, NAM, OIC, SAARC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: none

Flag: red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag

NOTE: The information regarding Maldives on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Maldives Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Maldives Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.