Population: 301,475 (July 2000 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 71,273; female 67,323)
15-64 years: 51% (male 78,598; female 75,331)
65 years and over: 3% (male 4,666; female 4,284) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.06% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 38.96 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 8.32 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.09 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 65.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.2 years
male: 61.05 years
female: 63.4 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.62 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Maldivian(s)
adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups: South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Religions: Sunni Muslim

Languages: Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.2%
male: 93.3%
female: 93% (1995 est.)