Maldives
Maldives passport ranking
The Maldivian passport is currently ranked 54th place on the Guide Passport Index. It provides visa-free access to 92 countries. This grants it an overall medium mobility score. Maldivian passport holders have visa-free access and visas on arrival to countries such as Singapore, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and United Arab Emirates. Maldivian passport holders do however require a visa to enter about 137 destinations in the world, which requires some extended travel preparations. Some destinations where a visa is required are the entire European Union, the United States and Australia.
Maldives Passport Ranking
The Maldives passport ranking relative to other global passports is calculated by adding up the number of countries that allow Maldives passport holders to enter without a visa (i.e. visa-free countries) and those that allow Maldives passport holders to enter by obtaining a visa on arrival (i.e. visa-on-arrival countries) or an electronic travel authorization (eTA). There are currently a total of 60 Maldives passport visa-free countries, 31 Maldives visa-on-arrival countries, and 1 eTA destinations.
Altogether, Maldives passport holders can enter a total of 92 destinations—either without a visa, through a visa on arrival, or via an eTA. As a result, the Maldives passport ranks 54 in the world.
Separate from these Maldives visa-free countries and visa-on-arrival countries, there are 137 additional destinations which Maldives passport holders either need a physical visa to enter or an eVisa (i.e. visa required countries).
About Maldives
The Republic of Maldives is an archipelagic island nation and a former British colony. It consists of 7 provinces. The most important ones are Central and North. The group of 26 atolls that form the nation is situated in Southern Asia, in the Indian Ocean south-southwest of India. It has a surface of 300 square kilometers, making it the smallest country in Asia. The nation’s terrain is mostly flat coral and beaches. Its climate is tropical, hot and humid with seasonal monsoon.
The overall population is approximately 579,330 people. The capital of the country is Male, which is also the most populous city with 215,879 inhabitants. Other major settlements are Addu City, Fuvahmulah and Kulhudhuffushi. The country’s largest international airport is Velana International Airport (MLE) with over 2 million annual passengers. The airport provides access to destinations all over the world and is the main gateway for tourists coming to the Maldives.
The Maldives is mostly influenced by the Arabic culture and the Islam. The majority of the population identify themselves as Muslims. The official language is Dhivehi. Maldivian legal system is based on the sharia law with English common law only being used for commercial purposes. The government form is a presidential republic. The chief of state and head of government is President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Elections are taking placing ever 5 years and the President is elected directly via popular vote.
The official currency is the Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR), which is at a current exchange rate of MVR 15.41 per USD. The country has an open economy, generating a GDP of approximately $8.6 billion. Its citizens have a per capita income of $23,154. The GDP is mostly made up of the services and industry sector. Tourism contributes to the vast majority to the country’s income. Apart from tourism the fishing and fish processing industry is also quite important for a large part of the population.
The Maldives are filled with a variety of natural tourism attraction, making it an extremely popular destination for visitors from all round the world. It is known for its vast beaches and secluded island resorts. Some of the major destinations include the capital Male, Hulhumale Island, Maafushi, Utheemu, Veligandu Island and the Banana Reef. The main tourist activities are fishing, watersports, nature treks and diving. The nation has a total of approximately 1.5 million tourists visiting every year from all parts of the world.
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