Maldives Government - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Official name: Republic of Maldives

Type: republic

Capital: Male

Political subdivisions: 19 administrative districts corresponding to atolls, plus capital city

Legal system: based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holidays: Independence Day, 26 July; Republic Day, 11 November

Branches: popularly elected unicameral national legislature, People’s Council (members elected for five-year terms); elected President, chief executive; appointed Chief Justice responsible for administration of Islamic law

Government leader: Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM, President (since 1978)

Suffrage: universal over age 21

Political parties and leaders: no organized political parties; country governed by the Didi clan for the past eight centuries

Communists: negligible number

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

NOTE: The information regarding Maldives on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Maldives 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Maldives 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.