The Maldives (Republic of Maldives)

Maldives Republic of Maldives
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	73rd best
Capital	Male
Land Area	300km21
Location	Asia
Groupings	Small Islands
Population	0.5m2
Life Expectancy	79.92yrs (2017)3
GNI	$15 448 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	MV, MDV, 4625
Internet Domain	.mv6
Currency	Rufiyaa (MVR)7
Telephone	+9608

1. Overview
2. Maldives National and Social Development
3. Maldives's Demographics and Migration
4. Maldives's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Maldives's Health
6. Maldives's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Maldives's Modernity and Learning
8. National Culture
9. Economic Inequality and Poverty
10. Religion and Beliefs
11. Links

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1. Overview

#bangladesh #india #pakistan #sri_lanka

A sultanate since the 12th century, The Maldives became a British Protectorate in 1887_9,10, although they didn't station any official representatives there until 1960₁₀ . They gained independence in 1965, although the UK has maintained a military base at Gan, which has great strategic value₁₀. It became a republic in 1968₉.

“President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated the islands' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. Following political demonstrations in the capital Male in August 2003, the president and his government pledged to embark upon democratic reforms including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Progress was sluggish, however, and many promised reforms were slow to be realized. Nonetheless, political parties were legalized in 2005. In June 2008, a constituent assembly - termed the "Special Majlis" - finalized a new constitution, which was ratified by the president in August. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held in October 2008. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff poll by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist who had been jailed several years earlier by the former regime. President NASHEED faced a number of challenges including strengthening democracy and combating poverty and drug abuse. In early February 2012, after several weeks of street protests following his sacking of a top judge, NASHEED resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. In mid-2012, the Commission of National Inquiry was set by the Government to probe events leading to the regime change. Though no evidence of a coup was found, the report recommended the need to strengthen the country's democratic institutions to avert similar events in the future, and to further investigate alleged police misconduct during the crisis. Maldives officials have played a prominent role in international climate change discussions (due to the islands' low elevation and the threat from sea-level rise) on the United Nations Human Rights Council, and in encouraging regional cooperation, especially between India and Pakistan.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

In current times, the Maldives has good relations with Sri Lanka (exchanging many workers and tourists there), India, Pakistan and Bangladesh₁₀.

.

“The Maldives are an archipelago of atolls (raised coral reefs) comprising more than twelve hundred islands that spread out over 800 kilometers north to south and 130 kilometers east to west. Only two hundred of the islands are inhabited.”

"South Asia's Small States in World Politics" by Swarna Rajagopalan (2005)₁₀

“Unrivalled luxury, stunning white-sand beaches and an amazing underwater world make the Maldives an obvious choice for a holiday of a lifetime. The Maldives is home to perhaps the best beaches in the world; they´re on almost every one of the country´s nearly 1200 islands and are so consistently perfect that it's hard not to become blasé about them.

While some beaches may boast softer granules than others, the basic fact remains: you´ll find this whiter-than-white powder sand and luminous cyan-blue water almost nowhere else on earth. This fact alone is enough to bring nearly a million people a year to this tiny and otherwise little-known Indian Ocean paradise.

Every resort in the Maldives is its own private island, and with over 100 to choose from the only problem is selecting where to stay. There´s choice beyond the luxurious five- and six-star resorts. Other islands cater for families, for divers, for those on a (relative) budget, and anyone wanting a tranquil, remote and back-to-nature experience.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₁

2. Maldives National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)12
Pos.		Higher is better Value12
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
87	Brazil	0.754
88	Colombia	0.752
89	St Vincent & Grenadines	0.751
90	Maldives	0.747
91=	Azerbaijan	0.745
91=	Tonga	0.745
91=	Turkmenistan	0.745
91=	Algeria	0.745
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)12
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $12
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
74	Antigua & Barbuda	$16 792
75	Botswana	$16 198
76	Macedonia	$15 918
77	Maldives	$15 448
78	Libya	$15 336
79	Bosnia & Herzegovina	$15 242
80	Moldova	$14 875
81	Georgia	$14 664
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index13
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank13
1	Norway	29.8
2	Denmark	30.0
3	Finland	33.7
	...
70	China	78.8
71	Jamaica	78.9
72	Seychelles	79.7
73	Maldives	79.9
74	Jordan	80.3
75	Vietnam	80.4
76	Kuwait	80.7
77	Trinidad & Tobago	80.7
	Asia Avg	88.2
	World Avg	87.9
q=196.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Maldives's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population

Population:

The Maldives's population is predicted to fall to 383 000 by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 1.67. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

Migrants to the Maldives have come from India, Sri Lanka, Arabia and Persia₁₀.

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
165	Luxembourg	0.6m
166	Suriname	0.6m
167	Cape Verde	0.5m
168	Maldives	0.5m
169	Malta	0.4m
170	Brunei	0.4m
171	Bahamas	0.4m
172	Belize	0.4m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better12
Pos.		2021 Years12
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
31	Germany	80.6
32	Andorra	80.4
33	Greece	80.1
34	Maldives	79.9
35	Qatar	79.3
36	Chile	78.9
37	Bahrain	78.8
38	Thailand	78.7
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14
Pos.		201314
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
49	UAE	1.70
50	Canada	1.69
51	Colombia	2.31
52	Maldives	1.67
53	Luxembourg	1.67
54	Turkmenistan	2.33
55	Trinidad & Tobago	1.63
56	Montenegro	1.63
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better15
Pos.		2016 Per 10015
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
78	Micronesia	10.8
79	Honduras	11.0
80=	Turkmenistan	11.0
80=	Maldives	11.0
82	Mongolia	11.8
83=	Uzbekistan	11.9
83=	Tonga	11.9
85	Kyrgyzstan	12.1
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration:

Immigrants16
Pos.		2017 %16
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
30	Belize	16.0%
31	San Marino	15.7%
32	Bahamas	15.6%
33	Maldives	15.4%
34	USA	15.3%
35	Norway	15.1%
36	Germany	14.8%
37	Estonia	14.7%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants17
Pos.		2010 %17
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
184	Saudi Arabia	0.7%
185	Qatar	0.7%
186	Nigeria	0.6%
187	Maldives	0.6%
188	China	0.6%
189	Japan	0.6%
190	Oman	0.5%
191	Madagascar	0.4%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Maldives's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freethought #gender #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #mass_media #misogyny #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #tolerance #women

Compared to Asia (2020)18
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank18
1	Hong Kong	24.3
2	Taiwan	28.2
3	Japan	41.9
	...
27	Cambodia	102.3
28	Kuwait	106.5
29	Laos	108.1
30	Maldives	110.4
31=	Indonesia	111.0
32	Uzbekistan	111.1
33	Bahrain	112.7
34	Bangladesh	113.0
35	Bhutan	114.1
	Asia Avg	99.9
q=51.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2020)18
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank18
1	Sweden	9.0
2	Norway	14.5
3	Denmark	14.5
	...
133	Togo	107.6
134	Laos	108.1
135	Zambia	108.6
136	Maldives	110.4
137=	Algeria	111.0
137=	Indonesia	111.0
139	Uzbekistan	111.1
140	Bahrain	112.7
	World Avg	87.9
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Norway and Denmark₁₉. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are The Solomon Islands, Somalia and Tuvalu₁₉.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are statistics on commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₉, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Micronesia and Australasia₁₉.

For more, see:

• "Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Human Rights & Tolerance:

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better20
Pos.		2009 Treaties20
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
104	St Vincent & Grenadines	15
105=	Liberia	15
105=	Libya	15
105=	Maldives	15
105=	Andorra	15
105=	Cape Verde	15
105=	Bangladesh	15
105=	Mozambique	15
	Asia Avg	12.7
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better21
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty21
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
127	Macedonia	11.71
128	Czechia	11.73
129	Malawi	11.77
130	Maldives	11.85
131	Central African Rep.	11.87
132	Thailand	11.89
133	Congo, (Brazzaville)	11.91
134	Moldova	11.99
	Asia Avg	10.97
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Press Freedom Lower is better22
Pos.		201322
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
	...
99	Georgia	3009
100	Lebanon	3015
101	Albania	3088
102	Maldives	3110
103	Uganda	3169
104	Peru	3187
105	Kyrgyzstan	3220
106	Fiji	3269
	Asia Avg	4378
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

Amnesty International's 2023-23 report on the state of the world's human rights, had little to say about Maldives: "The authorities took further steps to restrict freedom of expression in law. The security forces routinely used unlawful force to suppress protests. Maldives retained the death penalty and people remained on death row"₂₃.

Gender Equality:

The Maldives has made some steps towards ending gender inequality but much more needs to be done.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree

Gender Inequality Lower is better24
Pos.		201524
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
	...
61	Armenia	0.29
62	Cuba	0.30
63	Costa Rica	0.31
64	Maldives	0.31
65	Chile	0.32
66	Tajikistan	0.32
67	Trinidad & Tobago	0.32
68	Azerbaijan	0.33
	Asia Avg	0.36
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
34	S. Africa	1930
35=	Sri Lanka	1931
35=	Spain	1931
37	Maldives	1932
38=	Uruguay	1932
38=	Thailand	1932
40	Turkey	1934
41=	Brazil	1934
	Asia Avg	1907
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Prejudice:

LGBT Equality Higher is better25
Pos.		2017 Score25
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
	...
153=	Iran	-19
153=	Malaysia	-19
153=	Gambia	-19
153=	Maldives	-19
153=	Afghanistan	-19
158	Liberia	-20
159=	Bhutan	-20
159=	Burundi	-20
	Asia Avg	-02.1
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better26
Pos.		202126
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
	...
185	Jordan	4.5
186	Mauritania	4.8
187=	UAE	4.8
187=	Maldives	4.8
187=	Sudan	4.8
187=	Brunei	4.8
187=	Yemen	4.8
187=	Iran	4.8
	Asia Avg	3.7
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Maldives's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #suicide #vaccines

Compared to Asia (2020)27
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank27
1	Hong Kong	18.3
2	Maldives	41.0
3	Singapore	42.6
4	Japan	51.0
5	S. Korea	51.3
6	Sri Lanka	52.9
7	Bhutan	55.1
8	China	60.4
9	Brunei	62.6
10	Malaysia	62.8
11	Oman	62.9
12	N. Korea	65.0
13=	Thailand	65.3
	Asia Avg	80.1
q=50.

Health (2020)27
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank27
1	Monaco	13.0
2	Hong Kong	18.3
3	Maldives	41.0
4	Singapore	42.6
5	Japan	51.0
6	S. Korea	51.3
7	Sri Lanka	52.9
8	Bhutan	55.1
9	China	60.4
10	Norway	61.0
11	Brunei	62.6
12	Malaysia	62.8
	World Avg	93.5
q=196.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Hong Kong and The Maldives₂₈. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are The Marshall Islands, S. Sudan and Palau₂₈.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Asia and The Mediterranean₂₈, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Australasia and Africa₂₈.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Public health in The Maldives is very good. The Maldives comes in the best 20 in its suicide rate₂₉ (amongst the best in Asia) and in its adolescent birth rate₂₄. It does better than average in terms of its average life expectancy₁₂, its immunizations take-up₃₀, its smoking rate₃₁, its fertility rate₁₄ and in its alcohol consumption rate₃₂. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. Life expectancy in the Maldives improved by +16.5yrs in the 30 years from 1990, over double the global average improvement of +7.9yrs.

Life Expectancy Higher is better12
Pos.		2021 Years12
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
31	Germany	80.6
32	Andorra	80.4
33	Greece	80.1
34	Maldives	79.9
35	Qatar	79.3
36	Chile	78.9
37	Bahrain	78.8
38	Thailand	78.7
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better32
Pos.		2016 Per Capita32
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
51	Congo, DR	2.6
52=	Uzbekistan	2.7
52=	Ghana	2.7
52=	Maldives	2.7
55	Ethiopia	2.9
56=	Fiji	3.0
56=	Benin	3.0
58	Togo	3.1
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14
Pos.		201314
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
49	UAE	1.70
50	Canada	1.69
51	Colombia	2.31
52	Maldives	1.67
53	Luxembourg	1.67
54	Turkmenistan	2.33
55	Trinidad & Tobago	1.63
56	Montenegro	1.63
	Asia Avg	2.46
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Smoking Rates Lower is better31
Pos.		201431
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
44	Myanmar (Burma)	206
45	Madagascar	206
46	Burkina Faso	213
47	Maldives	215
48	Panama	224
49	Grenada	224
50	St Lucia	232
51	Mali	236
	Asia Avg	1 035
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Suicide Rate29
Pos.		2013 Per 100k29
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
4	Jordan	0.2
5	Maldives	0.7
6	Azerbaijan	1.3
7	S. Africa	1.8
8	Bahamas	2.5
9	Peru	2.9
10	Kuwait	3.6
11	Armenia	3.9
12	Dominican Rep.	4.6
	Asia Avg	19.50
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

Overweight Adults Lower is better33
Pos.		2016 %33
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
	...
43	Benin	29.5
44	Guinea-Bissau	29.9
45	S. Korea	30.3
46	Maldives	30.6
47=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	30.9
47=	Liberia	30.9
49	Ivory Coast	31.6
50	Singapore	31.8
	Asia Avg	44.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better24
Pos.		2015 Per 100024
1	N. Korea	0.5
2	S. Korea	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
	...
16	Libya	6.2
17	Finland	6.5
18	Germany	6.7
19	Maldives	6.7
20	Tunisia	6.8
21	Austria	7.1
22	China	7.3
23	Greece	7.5
	Asia Avg	29.9
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better30
Pos.		2015 Avg %30
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
43	Libya	96.4
44	St Kitts & Nevis	96.3
45	Bahamas	96.2
46	Maldives	96.2
47	Tajikistan	96.1
48	Rwanda	96.1
49	Sao Tome & Principe	96.0
50	Malaysia	96.0
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

6. Maldives's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #food #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Asia (2023)34
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank34
1	Japan	33.2
2	Philippines	45.0
3	Sri Lanka	49.0
4	Maldives	55.0
5	Jordan	56.5
6	N. Korea	57.5
7	Indonesia	62.4
8	S. Korea	62.8
9	Bangladesh	67.0
10=	India	68.6
11	Lebanon	68.8
12=	Nepal	68.8
13	Armenia	69.5
	Asia Avg	88.8
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2023)34
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank34
1	Japan	33.2
2	Philippines	45.0
3	Uruguay	48.0
	...
9	Ecuador	52.0
10	Mexico	53.2
11	Canada	53.4
12	Maldives	55.0
13	Seychelles	55.3
14	Germany	55.8
15=	Sweden	56.0
15=	Norway	56.0
	World Avg	85.7
q=188.

The Maldives comes 12nd-best in the world in terms of its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is calculated from 4 data sets. The Maldives does the best in how quickly it ratified the 1993 Convention on Biological Diversity. It does better than average when it comes to annual meat consumption per person₃₅ and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₃₆. The Maldives still has work to do. The Maldives does worse than average when it comes to its environmental performance₃₇.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better36
Pos.		Total36
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
124=	Lesotho	0.0%
124=	Anguilla	0.0%
124=	Jersey	0.0%
124=	Maldives	0.0%
124=	St Vincent & Grenadines	0.0%
124=	Isle of Man	0.0%
124=	Tokelau	0.0%
124=	St Martin	0.0%
	Asia Avg	3.2%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Environmental Performance Higher is better37
Pos.		201837
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
108	Turkey	53.0
109	Ukraine	52.9
110	Guatemala	52.3
111	Maldives	52.1
112	Moldova	52.0
113	Botswana	51.7
114	Honduras	51.5
115	Sudan	51.5
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Convention on Biological Diversity Earlier is better
Pos.		Total Signed
1=	China	1993 Dec 29
1=	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
1=	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
	...
6=	Fiji	1993 Dec 29
6=	Canada	1993 Dec 29
6=	Monaco	1993 Dec 29
6=	Maldives	1993 Dec 29
6=	Marshall Islands	1993 Dec 29
6=	Seychelles	1993 Dec 29
6=	Mauritius	1993 Dec 29
6=	Antigua & Barbuda	1993 Dec 29
	Asia Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

Meat Consumption Lower is better35
Pos.		2021 kg35
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
50	Malawi	27.4
51	Tunisia	27.8
52	Sao Tome & Principe	28.3
53	Maldives	28.8
54	Egypt	29.1
55	Laos	29.8
56	Botswana	30.1
57	Nicaragua	31.5
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185.

7. Maldives's Modernity and Learning

#education #it_security #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2020)38
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank38
1	Taiwan	10.0
2	Japan	21.9
3=	S. Korea	24.0
	...
36	Palestine	92.0
37	Indonesia	92.3
38	Pakistan	97.9
39	Maldives	99.8
40	Turkmenistan	105.3
41	Nepal	110.8
42	Bhutan	112.3
43	Bangladesh	112.9
44	Laos	115.2
	Asia Avg	79.0
q=51.

Modernity & Learning (2020)38
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank38
1	Finland	8.4
2	Taiwan	10.0
3	Switzerland	15.1
	...
132=	St Lucia	97.8
133	Pakistan	97.9
134	Nauru	99.0
135	Maldives	99.8
136	Cameroon	101.6
137	Zimbabwe	101.8
138	Marshall Islands	102.8
139	Algeria	103.4
	World Avg	83.2
q=205.

Modernity and Education:

Secondary Education Higher is better39
Pos.		201839
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
115	Iraq	48.0%
116	Paraguay	47.8%
117	Nicaragua	47.5%
118	Maldives	47.1%
119	Bangladesh	46.7%
120	St Lucia	46.0%
121	Thailand	44.8%
122	Zambia	44.3%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better40
Pos.		2021 Years40
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
121	El Salvador	12.7
122	Nicaragua	12.6
123	Qatar	12.6
124	Maldives	12.6
125	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	12.6
126	Cape Verde	12.6
127	Guyana	12.5
128	Uzbekistan	12.5
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users Higher is better41
Pos.		201641
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
89	Kazakhstan	56%
90=	US Virgin Islands	54%
90=	Serbia	54%
92	Maldives	54%
93	Georgia	53%
94	China	52%
95=	Vietnam	52%
95=	S. Africa	52%
	Asia Avg	48.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IT Security Lower is better42
Pos.		201342
1=	Ireland	0.11
1=	Luxembourg	0.11
1=	Belize	0.11
	...
68	Netherlands	1.47
69	Rwanda	1.50
70	Tanzania	1.50
71	Maldives	1.57
72	China	1.59
73	Angola	1.61
74	Sri Lanka	1.67
75	Oman	1.72
	Asia Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.98

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better43
Pos.		2017 Ratio43
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
114=	Venezuela	0.0
114=	Kazakhstan	0.0
114=	New Caledonia	0.0
114=	Maldives	0.0
118	Tunisia	0.0
119=	Tuvalu	0.0
119=	Marshall Islands	0.0
119=	Georgia	0.0
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

8. National Culture

#corruption #politics

On the Corruption Index, Maldives scored on average 36 over the 2012-2016 period. Over the 10 years since then, it improved by 4 points.

Corruption Higher is better44
Pos.		2022 Points44
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
85	Tunisia	40.0
86=	Suriname	40.0
86=	Macedonia	40.0
86=	Maldives	40.0
86=	India	40.0
86=	Guyana	40.0
91	Belarus	39.0
92=	Moldova	39.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

9. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #social_development

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better45
Pos.		201945
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
44	Bahrain	5.50
45	Qatar	5.70
46	Kuwait	5.90
47	Maldives	6.00
48=	Malaysia	6.10
48=	Bulgaria	6.10
50	Chile	6.30
51=	USA	6.30
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better46
Pos.		2017 %46
1	Ukraine	25.0
2=	Belarus	25.4
2=	Slovenia	25.4
	...
85	Gabon	38.0
86	Indonesia	38.1
87=	Myanmar (Burma)	38.1
88	Maldives	38.4
89=	Burundi	38.6
89=	China	38.6
91	Samoa	38.7
92	Israel	38.9
	Asia Avg	35.2
	World Avg	38.1
q=152.

Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better47
Pos.		2018 Severity47
1	Armenia	.001
2	Ukraine	.001
3	Serbia	.001
4	Turkmenistan	.001
5	Jordan	.002
6	Kazakhstan	.002
7	Montenegro	.002
8	Trinidad & Tobago	.002
9	Maldives	.003
10	Albania	.003
11	Thailand	.003
12	Moldova	.004
	Asia Avg	.084
	World Avg	.154
q=101.

10. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Buddhism (and then Islam) have both arrived at the Maldives at various points₁₀, but Islam has come to dominate, and permits no dissent and no alternatives. Swarna Rajagopalan is very generous when he says that "Maldivian Islam is moderate" although it "has not been immune to the waves of radical Islamic movements that are sweeping the globe"₁₀. In reality, there is no religious freedom in The Maldives, except for tourists in private, and very small numbers of others who cannot integrate politically or socially, and who must keep quiet on the topic of religion. It is illegal to bring Bibles or any non-Islamic religious text into the country, and the President must always specifically be a Sunni Muslim, as should citizens.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₄₈:

Christian	0.4%
Muslim	98.4%
Hindu	0.3%
Buddhist	0.6%
Folk Religion	0.1%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	0.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states simply: Sunni Muslim (official)₄₉.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₅₀, in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for The Maldives states:

“The constitution and other laws do not permit freedom of religion or belief. The constitution designates Islam as the official state religion, and the government and many citizens at all levels interpret this provision to impose a requirement that all citizens must be Muslims. The constitution also stipulates that the president must be Sunni. The constitutional language on the fundamental rights and duties of citizens does not provide for the right to freedom of religion or belief. Furthermore, the constitution precludes non-Muslims from voting and holding public positions.

The constitution does not prohibit discrimination based on religious preference. It excludes religion from a list of attributes for which people should not be discriminated against. Several articles in the constitution make the practice of Islam mandatory. Article 36 states that it is imperative for parents and the state to provide children with primary and secondary education. Section (c) of that article states education shall strive to inculcate obedience to Islam and instill love for Islam.

Cases of Discrimination

In 2008 the Ministry of Islamic Affairs replaced the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. The ministry mandates Islamic instructions in schools, funds salaries of religious instructors, and certifies imams, who are responsible for presenting government-approved sermons. By law no one may publicly discuss Islam unless invited to do so by the government.

In June 2010, Muhammad Nazim asked a Muslim preacher, at a large public event, how Islam viewed people such as himself who had tried to believe in Islam but could not. The preacher replied that Islam requires the death penalty for those who leave Islam. Several members of the enraged crowd attempted to attack Nazim and he was hustled away by the police. The Islamic Ministry arranged for Nazim to receive "religious counseling" before determining if he should be executed for apostasy. During this prison counseling, Muhammad saved his life by embracing Islam.

One month later, Ismail Mohamed Didi faced the same choice as Mohamamed Nazim: believe or die. He chose death. On July 13 2010, the 25 year-old air traffic controller was found hanged from the control tower of the Maldives international airport, after killing himself to escape persecution for his rejection of religion. Shortly before his death, Ismail Mohamed Didi wrote that he had "foolishly admitted my stance on religion" to work colleagues and the news had "spread like wildfire." He added that "A lot of my close friends and girlfriend have been prohibited from seeing me by their parents. I have even received a couple of anonymous phone calls threatening violence if I do not repent and start practicing Islam... Maldivians are proud of their religious homogeneity and I am learning the hard way that there is no place for non-Muslim Maldivians in this society."

”

"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₅₁

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems