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- Government
-
- Long-form name: Republic of Maldives.
-
- Type: republic.
-
- Capital: Male.
-
- Administrative divisions: 19 district (atolls); 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).
-
- Executive branch: president, Cabinet.
-
- Legislative branch: unicameral Citizens' Council (Majlis).
-
- Judicial branch: High Court.
-
- Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government--President
- Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since since 11 November 1978).
-
- Political parties and leaders: no organized political parties;
- country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries.
-
- Suffrage: universal at age 21.
-
- Elections:
-
- President--last held 23 September 1988 (next to be held September
- 1994); results--President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom reelected;
-
- Citizens' Council--last held on 7 December 1984 (next to
- be held 7 December 1989); results--percent of vote NA; seats--
- (48 total, 40 elected).
-
- 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: Maldives does not maintain an
- embassy in the US, but does have a UN mission in New York;
- US--the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives
- and makes periodic visits there; US Consular Agency, Mahduedurage,
- Violet Magu, Henveru, Male; telephone 2581.
-
- 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.
-