Maldives at its true size
Maldives covers 298 km², number 187 of 194 countries by area. Home to 529,676 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 298 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 529,676 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 1,777 per km² |
| Capital | Male |
| Local time in Male | |
| Time zone | UTC+5 IANA |
| Currency | Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR) Wikidata |
| Languages | Maldivian |
| Traffic | On the left |
| Region | Southern Asia, Seven seas (open ocean) |
| Status | Independent state |
| Coast | Has a coastline |
| Calling code | +960 |
| Codes | MV · MDV · 462 |
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Where Maldives ranks
Among the independent states, in 43 rankings. Each links to its table.
People
- Population#167 of 194529,676 people#47 of 48 in Asia
- Population density#6 of 1941,777 people per km²#3 of 48 in Asia
- Urban population#145 of 19243% urban#34 of 47 in Asia
- Fertility rate#127 of 1921.56 births per woman#35 of 47 in Asia
- Population growth#141 of 192+0.35% a year#38 of 47 in Asia
- Birth rate#132 of 19210.6 births per 1,000 people#36 of 47 in Asia
- Death rate#186 of 1922.4 deaths per 1,000 people#41 of 47 in Asia
- Children under 15#119 of 19219.0% under 15#35 of 47 in Asia
- People over 65#123 of 1925.0% aged 65 and over#32 of 47 in Asia
- Net migration#171 of 192−4.3 per 1,000 people#43 of 47 in Asia
- Refugees abroad#113 of 1900.12 refugees abroad per 1,000 people#29 of 47 in Asia
Health & education
- Life expectancy#37 of 19281.3 years#10 of 47 in Asia
- Infant mortality#144 of 1914.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births#39 of 47 in Asia
- Doctors#80 of 1782.24 doctors per 1,000 people#20 of 46 in Asia
- University enrolment#77 of 14548.5% gross enrolment#21 of 42 in Asia
- Human Development Index#92 of 190an index of 0.766#23 of 46 in Asia
Economy
- GNI per capita#72 of 185$12,950 a person#16 of 45 in Asia
- Internet users#78 of 18485% online#24 of 43 in Asia
- GDP per capita (PPP)#72 of 184$28,555 a person#18 of 45 in Asia
- GDP growth#26 of 187+6.3% a year#12 of 45 in Asia
- Inflation#55 of 176+4.0% a year#11 of 42 in Asia
- Unemployment#106 of 1784.5% of the labour force#21 of 47 in Asia
- Extreme poverty#136 of 1490.0% under $3.00 a day#25 of 33 in Asia
- Income inequality (Gini)#125 of 149a Gini index of 29.3#26 of 33 in Asia
- Jobs in agriculture#105 of 17811.3% of jobs#30 of 47 in Asia
- Jobs in industry#115 of 17816.9% of jobs#37 of 47 in Asia
- Jobs in services#44 of 17871.8% of jobs#10 of 47 in Asia
- Foreign investment#12 of 18411.1% of GDP#4 of 44 in Asia
- Exports#16 of 16878.2% of GDP#6 of 42 in Asia
- Mobile subscriptions#28 of 191148 subscriptions per 100 people#14 of 47 in Asia
Energy & environment
- CO₂ per person#73 of 1853.57 tonnes a person#25 of 47 in Asia
- Forest area#140 of 19213% forest#26 of 47 in Asia
- Renewable energy#172 of 1901.2% renewable#34 of 47 in Asia
- Access to electricity#1 of 192100.0% with electricity#1 of 47 in Asia
- Air pollution (PM2.5)#145 of 19111.2 µg/m³#46 of 47 in Asia
- Protected land#176 of 1913.0% of the land protected#43 of 47 in Asia
- Arable land#79 of 19013.1% of the land arable#16 of 47 in Asia
- Water stress#74 of 17615.7% of its available fresh water#37 of 47 in Asia
- Precipitation#35 of 1801,972 mm a year#9 of 47 in Asia
Governance & safety
Countries of a similar size
Every country within 25% of the Maldives’s area, lit up on the map →
- Malta0.94×Maldives is 6% smaller than Malta.
- Saint Kitts and Nevis1.11×Maldives is 11% larger than Saint Kitts and Nevis.
- Grenada0.85×Maldives is 15% smaller than Grenada.
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines0.77×Maldives is 23% smaller than Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
- Barbados0.68×Maldives is 32% smaller than Barbados.
- Antigua and Barbuda0.68×Maldives is 32% smaller than Antigua and Barbuda.
How many times does Maldives fit into…
- Russia: about 57300 times
- Canada: about 33506 times
- United States: about 32975 times
Questions about Maldives
- How big is Maldives?
- Maldives covers 298 km², which makes it number 187 of 194 countries by area. About 529,676 people live there (2025), 1,777 per km².
- Is Maldives bigger than Malta?
- Maldives is 6% smaller than Malta. Maldives: 298 km²; Malta: 316 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort Maldives?
- Maldives lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
- Does Maldives have land borders?
- No. Maldives has no land neighbours; every border is a coastline.