At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Maldives

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Abdulla YAMEEN
• Head of Government: President Abdulla YAMEEN
• Assembly: Maldives has a unicameral People's Council (Majlis) with 85 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 5-year term.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH

• Party: Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) / (ދިވެހިރައްޔިތުންގެ ޑިމޮކްރެޓި) ކް ޕާޓީ*

Abdulla YAMEEN

• Party: Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) / (ޕްރޮގްރެސިވް ޕާރޓީ އޮފް މޯލްޑިވްސް )ޕީ.ޕީ.އެމް

* The Maldivian Democratic Party is leading an opposition bloc comprised of the MDP, the Jumhoree Party, the Adalath Party, and a splinter faction of the Progressive Party of Maldives.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 383,684 (December 2017)
• Registered Voters: 239,165 (November 2013)

Gender Data:

• Female Population: 178,236 (2017)
• Is Maldives a signatory to CEDAW: No
• Has Maldives ratified CEDAW: Yes, acession (1 July 1993)
• Gender Quota: No
• Female candidates in this election: No
• Number of Female Parliamentarians: 5 (following the 2009 parliamentary elections)
• Development Index Position: 104 (2014)
• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

• Is Maldives a signatory to CRPD: Yes (2 October 2007)
• Has Maldives ratified CRPD: Yes (5 April 2010)
• Population with a disability: 59,098 (est.