Maldives: Asian Development Bank Member Fact Sheet 2017

Abstract

Comprising around 1,190 small islands in the Indian Ocean, Maldives is home to around 400,000 people, and is famous for some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. High-end tourism has propelled the economy’s strong expansion over recent decades. This has helped Maldives gain middleincome status, with the highest per capita income in South Asia. However, as a relatively small island economy, the country is extremely vulnerable to external economic shocks and the negative impacts of climate change. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been supporting the Government of Maldives since 1978. It has approved 22 loans ($158.38 million) and 7 grant ($90.14 million) for Maldives, and has funded 68 technical assistance projects totalling $30.25 million.