Maldives — Country Profile
Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Maldives: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna Power score (--/100, ranked #-- of 195).
Last updated: October 2026
Maldives is in Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India. It covers 298 sq km. Terrain: flat coral atolls, with white sandy beaches; sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive Ridge. Climate: tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August).
| Capital | Malé |
|---|---|
| Population | 388,858 (2024 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $12.325 billion (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $23,400 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 5.1% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 1.4% (2024 est.) |
| Unemployment | 4.7% (2024 est.) |
| Public debt | 61.7% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Exports | $5.413 billion (2024 est.) |
| Imports | $5.344 billion (2024 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 77.4 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 32.4 years (2025 est.) |
| Urbanization | 42% of total population (2023) |
| Government | presidential republic |
| Independence | 26 July 1965 (from the UK) |
| Languages | Dhivehi (official, closely related to Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English (spoken by most government officials) |
Maldives’s GDP is $12.325 billion (2024 est.) in purchasing-power-parity terms. At official exchange rates it stands at $6.975 billion (2024 est.). Real GDP grew 5.1% (2024 est.). See where Maldives ranks among all 195 countries by GDP.
POWER --/100 — The Magna Power score is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — nine components, 135 indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
No single event defined Jul–Sep 2026. The country's position is the product of long-cycle forces — geography, trade, neighbours — all of which held steady.
Momentum at zero is not stagnation; it is the accurate record of a quarter without a catalyst.
- What our model rewards: inflation tamed at 1.4%; unemployment near 4.7% — work for whoever wants it
- What drags it down: a current-account deficit of $1 billion (18.0% of GDP) — living beyond its means; few natural resources to fall back on
Energy is the physical base of economic power — what a country can generate, move and burn decides what it can build, sell and defend.
| Electricity access | 100% (2022 est.) |
|---|---|
| Installed capacity mix (CIA) | fossil fuels: 93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 6.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) |
| Energy consumption per capita (CIA) | 50.886 million Btu/person (2023 est.) |
| Primary energy consumption (OWID) | 7.8 TWh (2023) |
| Electricity generation (OWID) | 0.8 TWh (2023) |
| Energy per capita (OWID) | 14,914 kWh per person (2023) |
| Electricity generation mix (OWID) | Oil 92.9%, Solar 7.1% (2023) |
| Low-carbon share of electricity (OWID) | 7.1% (2023) |
| Carbon intensity of electricity (OWID) | 611.8 gCO2/kWh (2023) |
Sources: CIA World Factbook, Energy section; Our World in Data (IEA/Ember), 2023.
Trade shows what the world buys from a country and what the country must buy from the world — the balance between the two is a direct measure of economic leverage.
| Exports | $5.413 billion (2024 est.) |
|---|---|
| Imports | $5.344 billion (2024 est.) |
| Trade balance (calculated) | Surplus of $69.0 million (2024), calculated from the CIA export and import figures above. |
| Key industries | tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining |
Source: CIA World Factbook, Economy section.
Mohamed Muizzu — President. President Mohamed MUIZZU (since 17 November 2023)
Maldives maintains 17 embassies and 2 consulates abroad. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 17 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 2 |
Source: Outbound: Consular Affairs Center (Yonsei Univ.), diplomatic & consular networks database, February 2026 report (Zenodo).
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Coastal — 644 km of coastline. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 20 (registration prefix 8Q) |
| Major seaports | Male |
Major airports
Gan International Airport (GAN) — Gan; Hanimaadhoo International Airport (HAQ) — Haa Dhaalu Atoll; Velana International Airport (MLE) — Malé; Kaadedhdhoo Airport (KDM) — Huvadhu Atoll; Kadhdhoo Airport (KDO) — Kadhdhoo; Maafaru International Airport (NMF) — Noonu Atoll; Villa International Airport Maamigili (VAM) — Maamigili.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28)
| Political system | presidential republic |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
POWER --/100 Ranked #-- of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Maldives.
Historical timeline of Maldives
This profile covers the population, economy, natural resources, leaders, and history of Maldives — with the Bureau’s live national-power score of --/100, ranking #-- of 195 countries.
What is Maldives's power score?
Maldives has a Magna Power score of --/100. The score measures structural power — the proven capacity to shape events — across nine components.