Maldives

Maldives has a population of around 515,696 people dispersed across 185 islands. The country has been a development success; enjoying robust growth coupled with considerable development of the country’s infrastructure and connectivity. It has also provided high quality and affordable public services for its people, resulting in impressive health and education indicators with a literacy rate approaching 100%, and life expectancy of over 78 years. 

The country is physically vulnerable to rising sea levels. Eighty percent of the total land area of the country, which is less than 300 square kilometers, is lower than 1 meter above the mean sea level. The country’s exposure to natural hazards and climate variability poses a threat to lives and the economy. The additional challenge of the country’s geography leads to a dispersed population across many small islands, which makes service delivery difficult and can limit opportunities for job creation and economic diversification. Compounded with inclusion issues, this has caused relatively elevated levels of youth unemployment at 15.3 percent and low rates of women participating in the workforce (World Bank, 2020).