Maldives |
The state, located on the archipelago of the same name in the Indian Ocean, 640 km south-west of Sri Lanka (the archipelago includes 1196 islands, of which only 202 are inhabited). Territory - about 300 sq. km. Population - 143 thousand (1979 estimate); immigrants from Sri Lanka and India, there are also Arabs and Malays. The capital is Male (30 thousand inhabitants, 1979). The official language is Dhivehi (Maldivian). The dominant religion is Islam (over 95% of the population). Archipelago in the III-I centuries. BC NS. was inhabited by immigrants from Ceylon and India. In the V-XII centuries. Arabs and Persians appeared in the Maldives, who converted the local population to Islam by 1153. From the end of the 15th century. the islands were dominated by the Portuguese and the Dutch. From 1887 until independence on July 26, 1965, the Maldives were under British protectorate. Until March 1976, the British held Gan Island under their control, on the territory of which a British military base was located. As a result of the 1968 referendum, the Maldives was proclaimed a republic. The first president of the republic was I. Nasir (1968–78). The period of his tenure in power was characterized by the preservation of a low level of economic development of the country, the suppression of any political activity, and the spread of corruption. In July 1978, Momun Abdul Gayum was elected president of the republic, who took up his duties on 11 November 1978. The new leadership is taking certain measures to democratize domestic life, boost the economy through the development of mainly foreign tourism and fishing, as well as through attracting capital from oil-rich Muslim countries and Western capitalist states. The country's foreign policy is based on the principles of peaceful coexistence and non-alignment. Diplomatic relations between the USSR and the Maldives were established on 14IX 1966. In October 1976, the Vice-President of the Maldives paid a visit to the USSR . The USSR provides assistance to the Maldives in the preparation of the national. personnel, mainly in the field of health, cultural exchange is carried out. According to the 1972 constitution, legislative power belongs to a unicameral parliament — the Majlis. The head of state is the president, who is elected by the population for 5 years, he also serves as the head of government. There are no political parties and public organizations. The basis of the economy is fishing (about 30 thousand g per year), the income from which is 90% of export earnings. The fishing fleet numbers almost 5 thousand small and medium-sized sailing vessels. A fish cannery was built with the assistance of India and Japan (1978). The main agricultural crop is coconut (annual harvest is about 10 million pieces). Millet, yams, sweet potatoes, bananas, and mangoes are grown. However, agriculture does not meet the country's food needs. Tourism is an important branch of the economy. There are 10 tourist centers on the islands. In the near future, it is planned to double the influx of tourists. Transport within the archipelago is represented by sailing and small motorized vessels. Male - "open seaport", connected by airlines with Sri Lanka and India. The monetary unit is the Maldivian rupee. 1 mald. rupee = 1 rupee of Sri Lanka. Exported: dried fish (80% of all exports), fresh and canned fish (tuna), coconut products, postage stamps, etc. Imported: food, oil products, fabrics and other products. Major trading partners: Sri Lanka, India, Singapore, Japan, Pakistan, Thailand and some Arab countries.