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REPUBLIC OF MALDIVES

By: Ahulama Abdulla

GEOGRAPHY

• The Maldives is an island nation situated in the Indian Ocean located 600 km south of Indian sub-continent. It consists of 1192 islands grouped in a double chain stretching 820 km in length and 120 km in width. The islands form 26 natural atolls

• There are 107 islands designated as tourist resorts and around 14 island used for industrial purpose 2

• Maldives is the lowest country in the world, with maximum and average natural ground levels of only 2.4 meters (7 ft 10 in) and 1.5 meters (4 ft 11 in) above sea level

• The total area of land is 298 sq. km and the total area of the coastline is 644 km. With 99 percent of its territory being ocean, the Maldives has an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 859,000 sq. km rich in marine life and biodiversity

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• Currently a total of 187 islands are inhabited

• For administrative purposes the Maldivian government organized these atolls into twenty administrative divisions and 7 provinces.

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POPULATION• Population 341,256 (Census 2014) • Average population growth rate 2006 -2014 1.56

percent. There are 173, 172 males and 168,084 females.

• Life expectancy at birth male 72 and female 75

• 2012 under 5 mortality rate is 11 per 1000 live births and infant mortality rate is 9 per 1000 live births

• Maternal mortality rate 13 per 1000005

Climate: The Maldives is located at the equator and experiences monsoonal climates. Dry season (Northeast monsoon) and rainy season (Southwest monsoon)

Religion: Sunni Muslim

Language: Dhivehi

Literacy rate: 98.6%

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Culture: The population is mainly Indo-Aryan from anthropological point of view. There are a few elements of African origin as well.

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ECONOMYTourism, fishing and shipping are the most important sectors of the economy. Tourism accounts for more than 30 percent of GDP and over 60 percent of foreign currency earnings

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• The Maldives has become one of the world's best scuba diving destinations, because of the white sand beaches, coral reefs, clear warm waters, scuba diving sites and rich marine life.

• Many scuba divers are keen to dive in the Maldives because of the presence of whale sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, reef sharks, hammerhead sharks and moray eels, as well as many smaller fish and coral species

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moray eels

Whale Shark

Reef Shark

Manta ray Eagle ray

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• Fishing, which is the second main industry, forms the only economic gain from exports

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EDUCATION Dhivehi and English language is used as the medium

of instruction in most schools; however, there are schools that provide Arabic and Islamic education specifically

Pre-school (children’s 2-6 years) Primary School (Children’s 6 years to 13 years) Secondary School (13 years to 19 years) College Maldives National University

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• The health care system of Maldives organized into a four-tier referral system with patients to higher level health facilities central level depending upon the services availability.

HEALTH CENTRE

ATOLL HOSPITAL

REGIONAL HOSPITAL

IGMH

HEALTH

• To provides financial security and ensure better access to health care, all citizens of the Maldives are now covered by a universal health insurance scheme “Aasandha” fully financed by the government.

• There have been no indigenous case of malaria since 1984 and vaccine preventable diseases have been controlled

• Leprosy and Filaria have reached to zero transmission levels and elimination targets

• Tuberculosis and HIV prevalence have been maintained at very low levels

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• Dengue, diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections (ARI) continue to cause significant morbidity among children and adults. Diseases such as Dengue, scrub typhus and toxoplasmosis have also emerged and continue to be endemic in Maldives.

• With the emerging lifestyle changes associated with development; chronic non-communicable diseases have emerged as the main cause of morbidity and mortality in the country. Cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, cancers, renal failure, accidents and injuries are the leading causes of death in the country. In terms of the number of lives lost due to ill-health, disability, and early death , NCDs account for 78% of the total disease burden.

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THANKYOU