Maldives

Background

The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on the archipelago.

Tourism, Maldives largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. Almost 400,000 tourists visited the islands in 1998. Fishing is a second leading sector. The Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a minor role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level.

Holidays

Ps: Muslim festivals(*) are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations.

Phone Codes

Country Code: 960
Outgoing International Code: 00

Resources

Market Research

CIA - The World Factbook - Republic of Maldives
This website indicates a wide range of detail information about Maldives by introducing under 8 different fields as its geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military, transnational issues.

About Maldives
There is available to find out Maldives' general outlook on the issues of its social and business profile, passport/visa, money, accommodation, government, duty free, health and so forth.

Maldives Business Directory
Maldives.com creates a business directory for Maldives that makes available to contact the Maldivian firms for potential investors seeking commercial opportunities in Maldives.

Maldives Yellow Pages
It is available to find out category-wise listings of business in Maldives, including telephone numbers and postal address.

Business Directory - Maldives
Wow-directory offers business resources and services by creating cross-referenced categories in business opportunities for Maldives as business to business, classifieds, cooperatives, directories, organizations & trade.

Doing Business in Maldives
Asiatravelinfo.com supplies a brief information about business culture in Maldives in terms of explaining specifically the business attire, greetings, social conventions and business related to Maldives.

Maldives Online Guide
This websites offers a number of sub-categories to extend the research capacity on Maldives for investors.

Business in Maldives
Kasbah.com makes the list of the companies, organizations, resources which assist to the potential investors for their business networks in Maldives.   

World Trade Organization(WTO) : Maldives
World Trade Organization(WTO) supplies the trade policy reviews of republic of Maldives in order to display the recent economic and business developments realized after introducing the economic improvement packages by WTO.

Trade Information

Maldives Ministry of Trade & Industry
It is the official website of trade & industry ministry of Maldives that provides a wide range of information about business climate in Maldives with regard to foreign investments by providing business services for potential foreign investors.

Embassy Listings For Maldives
There are listed the embassies of the republic of Maldives including the embassies' contact information.

Maldives Government Online
It represents Maldives government institutions as Maldives Ministry of Tourism Ministry of Information, Arts & Culture, Permanent Mission to the UN FISB, Ministry of Trade, Industries & Labour, Maldives Transport & Contracting Co., Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company & State Trading Organisation.