Demographics of the Maldives explained

Place:Maldives
Size Of Population:515,122 (2022)[1]
Nation:Maldivian
Age 0–14 Years:19.72%
Age 15–64 Years:76.94%
Age 65 Years:3.34%
Growth:-0.14% (2022)
Birth:15.54 births/1,000 population (2022)
Death:4.15 deaths/1,000 population (2022)
Net Migration:-12.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Infant Mortality:25.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life:76.94 years
Life Male:74.57 years
Life Female:79.42 years
Fertility:1.71 children born/woman (2022 est.)

This is a demography of the population of Maldives, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Vital statistics

UN estimates

Period[2] Live births per yearDeaths per yearNatural change per yearCBR1CDR1NC1TFR1IMR1
1950–19553 0002 0001 00043.227.715.56.03233.4
1955–19604 0002 0002 00053.028.224.86.81221.6
1960–19655 0003 0003 00055.027.227.97.12205.5
1965–19706 0003 0003 00052.223.428.87.22175.5
1970–19756 0002 0004 00047.419.328.17.17146.5
1975–19806 0002 0004 00044.115.728.36.86121.5
1980–19858 0002 0006 00047.812.735.17.2697.2
1985–19909 0002 0007 00045.410.534.86.8177.1
1990–19958 0002 0006 00035.68.027.65.2562.5
1995–20007 0001 0005 00025.15.519.63.5241.7
2000–20056 0001 0004 00019.74.115.62.4926.5
2005–20105 0001 0004 00017.23.713.51.909.8
1 CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births

Registered births and deaths

[3] Average estimated populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)TFR
1980157,0006,8221,7875,03543.611.432.1
1981162,0007,0101,9635,04743.312.131.2
1982168,0007,4022,1295,27344.112.731.4
1983174,0007,2361,7485,48841.610.131.6
1984180,0008,2551,6406,61545.89.136.7
1985187,0008,9681,6077,36148.08.639.4
1986193,0008,6151,5117,10444.67.836.8
1987200,0008,3641,5256,83941.87.634.2
1988207,0008,2971,5266,77140.27.432.8
1989213,0008,7261,4767,25041.06.934.0
1990219,0008,6391,3557,28439.46.233.2
1991226,0008,3901,3667,02437.26.131.1
1992232,0008,1391,3306,80935.15.729.4
1993238,0007,7801,3196,46132.75.627.2
1994243,0007,3821,2406,14230.35.125.2
1995249,0006,8491,1515,69827.54.622.9
1996254,0006,7721,2135,55926.74.821.9
1997259,0006,1841,1755,00923.94.519.3
1998264,0005,6871,1214,56621.64.217.3
1999269,0005,2251,0374,18819.53.915.6
2000273,0005,3991,0324,36719.83.816.0
2001278,0004,8971,0813,81617.63.913.7
2002282,0005,0031,1133,89017.73.913.8
2003287,0005,1571,0304,12718.03.614.4
2004291,0005,2201,0154,20517.93.514.5
2005295,0005,5431,0274,51618.83.515.3
2006300,0005,8291,0834,74619.53.615.9
2007305,0006,5691,1185,45121.63.718.0
2008310,0006,9461,0615,88522.63.419.1
2009315,0007,4231,1636,26023.63.719.92.400
2010320,0007,1151,1056,01022.33.518.82.263
2011325,0007,1801,1376,04322.13.518.62.239
2012331,0007,4311,1356,29622.53.419.02.259
2013336,0007,1531,1206,03321.33.318.02.133
2014437,5357,2451,1436,10216.62.614.02.007
2015454,4346,8961,1305,76615.22.512.71.907
2016472,4266,7561,2265,53014.32.611.71.805
2017491,5896,7231,2415,48213.72.511.21.718
2018512,0386,5861,3005,28612.92.510.41.651
2019533,9416,1531,1325,02111.52.19.41.557
2020557,4266,2931,2755,01811.32.39.01.572
2021568,3625,9141,5524,36210.42.77.7

Structure of the population

Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total151 459147 509298 968100
0–413 36212 80926 1718.75
5–915 35214 51529 8679.99
10–1419 11117 88836 99912.38
15–1920 15519 74939 90413.35
20–2416 93317 87634 80911.64
25–2911 91512 66624 5818.22
30–3410 02210 61320 6356.90
35–398 7809 39418 1746.08
40–447 8288 04315 8715.31
45–496 8726 69713 5694.54
50–544 1473 7897 9362.65
55–593 0462 8135 8591.96
60–642 8522 7145 5661.86
65–693 0142 6645 6781.90
70–742 3331 8534 1861.40
75–791 4449332 3770.80
80–846174471 0640.36
85–892411553960.13
90–9489701590.05
95+5232840.03
unknown3 2941 7895 0831.70
Age group MaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–1447 82545 21293 03731.12
15–6492 55094 354186 90462.52
65+7 7906 15413 9444.66
Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total169 800166 424336 224100
0–416 71416 42933 1439.86
5–913 82613 31827 1448.07
10–1414 49813 67128 1698.38
15–1918 15316 79534 94810.39
20–2420 74319 64040 38312.01
25–2919 09119 40138 49211.45
30–3414 05414 82828 8828.59
35–3910 76111 26322 0246.55
40–449 4099 93519 3445.75
45–498 2708 58716 8575.01
50–547 4217 34014 7614.39
55–595 1054 7999 9042.95
60–643 1182 8846 0021.79
65–692 5422 4955 0371.50
70–742 4302 3384 7681.42
75–791 9711 6483 6191.08
80+1 6931 0542 7470.82
Age group MaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–1445 03843 41888 45626.31
15–64116 126115 471231 59768.88
65+8 6367 53516 1714.81
Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total356 149201 277 557 426100
0–420 61218 79839 4117.07
5–919 345 17 24236 5876.56
10–1417 44616 49533 9416.09
15–1917 35413 03230 3865.45
20–2448 24216 76365 00511.66
25–2965 93521 38787 32215.67
30–3451 58322 36673 94913.27
35–3936 84419 01655 85910.02
40–4424 83813 36538 2036.85
45–4917 12410 95028 0745.04
50–5411 9399 18721 1263.79
55–598 7547 75416 5082.96
60–646 4506 008 12 4582.23
65–693 3512 9586 3091.13
70–742 2322 2004 4320.80
75–791 8321 8483 6800.66
80+2 2691 908 4 1770.75
Age group MaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–1457 40352 535109 93819.72
15–64289 062139 828428 89076.94
65+9 6848 91418 5983.34

Fertility Rate (The Demographic Health Survey)

Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and CBR (Crude Birth Rate):[4]

YearTotalUrbanRural
CBR TFRCBR TFRCBR TFR
200924.72.5 (2.2)22.92.1 (1.9)25.52.8 (2.4)
2016–1722.02.1 (1.9)19.91.8 (1.5)23.02.5 (2.2)

Geographical differences

The total fertility rate differs greatly from as low as 2.05 children per woman in Malé to a maximum of 3.88 children in Faafu.

Code NameOfficial NamePopulation
(2014 census)[5]
Reg. Population
(31 December 2018)
TFR (2014 census)[6]
MaléMalé City133,41264,7422.05
Haa AlifThiladhunmathi Uthuruburi13,00422,7612.91
Haa DhaaluThiladhunmathi Dhekunuburi18,57027,2592.91
ShaviyaniMiladhunmadulu Uthuruburi12,12718,2742.66
NoonuMiladhunmadulu Dhekunuburi10,55616,7892.83
RaaMaalhosmadulu Uthuruburi14,93423,7212.93
BaaMaalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi8,91914,6242.45
LhaviyaniFaadhippolhu7,99613,2382.59
KaafuMalé Atholhu12,23212,0362.70
Alif AlifAri Atholhu Uthuruburi5,9157,6142.94
Alif DhaalAri Atholhu Dhekunuburi8,18311,4393.30
VaavuFelidhu Atholhu1,6222,5992.34
MeemuMulak Atholhu4,7117,4152.75
FaafuNilandhe Atholhu Uthuruburi4,1406,2643.88
DhaaluNilandhe Atholhu Dhekunuburi5,3297,9322.62
ThaaKolhumadulu8,92316,1612.97
LaamuHaddhunmathi11,84116,9772.67
Gaafu AlifHuvadhu Atholhu Uthuruburi8,47714,0572.80
Gaafu DhaaluHuvadhu Atholhu Dhekunuburi11,65321,0963.13
GnaviyaniFuvahmulah City8,09513,0372.76
Addu CityAddu City19,82733,8762.49
Maldives Republic of Maldives 344,023 374,775 2.46

Life expectancy at birth

PeriodLife expectancy inYearsPeriodLife expectancy inYears
1950–195534.51985–199059.3
1955–196036.11990–199563.5
1960–196539.01995–200067.6
1965–197042.42000–200572.2
1970–197546.22005–201075.6
1975–198050.72010–201576.3
1980–198555.5
Source: UN World Population Prospects[7]

Ethnic groups

The largest ethnic group is Dhivehin, native to the historic region of the Maldive Islands comprising today's Republic of Maldives and the island of Minicoy in Union territory of Lakshadweep, India. They share the same culture and speak the Dhivehi language. They are principally an Indo-Aryan people, closely related to the Sinhalese and having traces of Middle Eastern, South Asian, Austronesian and African genes in the population.

In the past there was also a small Tamil population known as the Giraavaru people. This group have now been almost completely absorbed into the larger Maldivian society but were once native to the island of Giraavaru (Kaafu Atoll). This island was evacuated in 1968 due to heavy erosion of the island.

Filipinos in the Maldives numbering 3,000 in 2018.

Languages

Dhivehi, an Indo-Aryan language closely related to the Sinhala language of Sri Lanka, and written in a specialized Arabic script (Thaana), is the official language and is spoken by virtually the whole population. English is also spoken as a second language by many.

Religion

See also: Islam in Maldives.

Sunni Islam is the state religion. Historically, the Maldives were converted to Islam from Buddhism in the 12th century. Under the 2008 constitution Islam is the official religion of the entire population, as adherence to it is required for citizenship.

CIA World Factbook demographic statistics

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.

Population

301,475 (July 2000 est.) - 369,031 (July 2007 est.)[8]

Age structure

0–14 yearsmale 45,038/female 43,291
15–64 yearsmale 180,874/female 171,703
65 years and overmale 7,711/female 7,717
(2010 est.)

Sex ratio

Nationality

Literacy

Education

The average Maldivian citizen has 4.7 years of education[9]

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Maldives Population census (2022) - Maldives Bureau of Statistics.
  2. http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision
  3. Web site: Department of National Planning, Republic of Maldives - Offline. planning.gov.mv. 26 April 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171002161659/http://www.planning.gov.mv/en/. 2 October 2017.
  4. Web site: The DHS Program - Quality information to plan, monitor and improve population, health, and nutrition programs. dhsprogram.com. 26 April 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150507092555/http://dhsprogram.com/ . 7 May 2015.
  5. Web site: Total Maldivian Population by Islands, Census 2014 and Registered Population 2018 .
  6. http://statisticsmaldives.gov.mv/nbs/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Maldives-Population-Projections-2014-2054.pdf Maldives Population Projections 2014-2054
  7. Web site: World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations. 2017-07-15.
  8. Web site: The World Factbook . Cia.gov . 10 July 2013 .
  9. Web site: Average Maldivian citizen has 4.7 years of education, finds UN Human Development Report. Neil Merret. 30 November 2010. Minivan News. 7 January 2011.