Mava
Republic of Mava Mava Repalik (Mavean) República de Mava (Almagrian) Repulika de Mava (Kiurut Creole) | |
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 Seal
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| Motto: Aat maujut autait kaini haat guan nisanutinni (Mavean) "The ten righteous men are found here" | |
| Anthem: Mava Tuvit "Our Mava" | |
.png) Location of Mava in the Sarosan Ocean | |
| Capital and largest city | Taalan |
| Official languages |
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| Recognised regional languages | Kiurut Creolea |
| Ethnic groups (2022) | 52.1% mixed 38.5% indigenous 9.4% other |
| Religion (2022) | 87.3% Christianity 5.1% no religion 3.2% folk religion 4.4% other |
| Demonym(s) | Mavean |
| Government | Unitary parliamentary republic with an executive presidency |
| Juu Kajusit | |
• Senior Minister & Minister in the President's Office | Maak Juaija |
• Speaker of Congress | Taama Iativut |
| Legislature | Congress |
| Independence from Atitlan | |
• Independence declared | 1 March 1970 |
• Current constitution | 18 August 1997 |
| Area | |
• Total | 252.29 km2 (97.41 sq mi) |
• Water (%) | negligible |
| Population | |
• 2024 estimate | 37,302 |
• Density | 172.3/km2 (446.3/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $421.587 million |
• Per capita | $11,203 |
| GDP (nominal) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $220.342 million |
• Per capita | $5,907 |
| Gini (2023) |  39.2medium |
| HDI (2023) |  0.657medium |
| Currency | Pauna (MVP) |
| Time zone | UTC-9 (MVT) |
| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Internet TLD | .mv |
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Mava (/mɑːvə/), officially the Republic of Mava (Mavean: Mava Repalik; Almagrian: República de Mava; Kiurut Creole: Repulika de Mava) is an island country and archipelagic state in the Sarosan Ocean. It consists of a group of islands, the largest and most populus of which is Mava, from which the country derives its name. With an estimated population of around 28,000 people (as of 2024) and a total land area of approximately 252 square kilometres, Mava is one of the smallest and least-populous countries in the world.
Mava was sparsely inhabited prior to colonial contact in the 16th century. In the late 18th century, Atitlan formally colonised the islands, annexing them into Atitlan proper in 1871. The islands gained independence in 1970. Since independence, the islands have transitioned from an agricultural society to a more diversified service-based economy, characterised by the public sector and tourism. Since 1989, nominal GDP has grown consistently, with downturns only in 1998-2000 and 2010-13. In recent years, foreign direct investment has grown as successive governments have pursued liberal economic policies.
Since independence, Mava has enjoyed a stable democratic system, although Atitlan continues to have a significant impact on Mavean politics through the close relations between the two governments and Atitlan's economic investment in the islands. According to a 2020 International Democracy Index report, Mava is a "party-free" nation, with fundamental freedoms respected but a political process inaccessible for large parts of the population.
The majority of people of Mava trace their ancestry to the indigenous Trianian, belonging to the Paatuvit tribe that inhabited western Triania who eventually expanded to and then concentrated around the islands of the Sarosan Ocean. Most, however, are of mixed heritage (kanisuat), also possessing Atitlanese ancestry. Atitlanese influences also extend to religion, with most practising Catholicism, and is furthe evident in Mava's culture, customs, music, and politics, which combine native and Atitlanese influences. The country is a member of the United Nations and the Small Island Countries Development Community.
History
Early 20th century
With the decline of the Atitlanese Empire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and the gradual loss of many of its colonies, there was a rise in political consciousness in Mava. Amongst the Kanisuat community, which had long dominated political and economic life, there were concerns that possible independence may undermine their position. For indigenous Maveans, news of Atitlan's imperial decline inspired political activism, resulting in the formation of the Mavean National Committee for Political Change (GAKNM). The lack of voice for indigenous Maveans and the pressure that the GAKNM placed on the government for redress resulted in the creation of a new advisory council in 1922.
During the Atitlanese Civil War, the Mava Islands remained under loyalist monarchist control. Under the regime of Henrique Sarmiento, Mava was governed by a succession of military governors who largely abandoned any intent to accommodate indigenous needs. During World War III, small numbers of Maveans volunteered to fight in foreign regiments, partly to escape the Sarimiento regime and partly to contribute towards the fight against imperialist and fascist politics.
Sarimiento's promotion of National Catholicism greatly alienated the largely Protestant indigenous population in Mava. Both the colonial government and the Catholic Church targeted non-Catholics in a campaign that claimed hundreds of lives. A confrontation between indigenous protestors and security forces in 1959 resulted in the deaths of 18 and the arrest of a further 30, a day now known in Mava and Atitlan as La tragedia del 3 de marzo.
Although Sarimiento's regime encouraged imperialist ideals, it regarded Mava as a costly burden. Repeated confrontations between indigenous groups and colonial authorities, as well as a small minority of the reformist Kanisuat prompted the Atitlanese government to begin considering independence for the islands. The decision to grant the islands independence was finally made following two simultaneous attacks on Government House and a police station in Taalan, which claimed the life of both the governor and the deputy chief of police. For the first time, the colonial authorities met with representatives of the indigenous population through the long-underground GAKNM. An interim measure created a Transitional Congress of indigenous activists to negotiate Mava's future relationship with Atitlan and to create a new constitution.
During the late 1960s, the coming of independence politicised the division between the indigenous minority and the Kanisuat community. The Transitional Congress, being an indigenous-only body, disregarded the interests of the Kanisuat and also promoted policies detrimental to the Catholic Church, including a proposal to ban the church in an independent Mava. Under pressure from the Atitlanese government, now increasingly desperate to avoid any delay to independence through civil unrest in the islands, most of these proposals were dropped.
Independence
Mava gained independence on 1 March 1970. The constitution, which came into force on that day, was created in response to the National Catholicism of the Sarimiento regime and the discrimination that the indigenous community suffered. It entrenched the dominance of the indigenous community at the expense of the Kanisuat majority, whilst electoral regulations limited the Kanisuat franchise, requiring knowledge of the Mavean language and prohibiting voting rights for any person who had Atitlanese citizenship. This also affected the creole speakers in Kiurut. The Mavean National Party (KNM), founded in 1969 as a successor to the GAKNM, has governed the country in an unbroken series of governments since independence, running as a catch-all party for indigenous voters.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, successive governments continued to enact policies limiting the rights and privileges of the Kanisuat majority. Affirmative action programs in education and employment favoured indigenous Maveans at the expense of the Kanisuat. These policies resulted in a level of self-segregation between the two communities, although large numbers of Kanisuat attempted to integrate themselves into indigenous culture by abandoning their Atitlanese citizenship and Almagrian language. Despite repeated protests, Atitlan did not intervene in order to protect vital economic, military, and other interests in the area, whilst opposition parties were too fractured to be an effective force against these policies..
Between the 1970s and the 1990s, a succession of opposition parties emerged to represent and advance the interests of the majority Kanisuat. The most prominent of these was the Democratic Party of the Mavean Islands, led by Juan Antonio Raapinsi. However, each party suffered from factionalism and internal splits which, combined with the ever-increasing number of parties vying for the Kanisuat vote, ensured that the KNM retained dominance.
In 1997, President Kusipi Paiti promulgated a new constitution that addressed some of the concerns of the Kanisuat community. Amongst its provisions included removing constitutional references to "alien ideas and beliefs" and recognising Almagrian as an official language, along with Kiurut Creole as a regional language. Despite this, gerrymandering and other policies continue to benefit the indigenous community.
In the 21st century, successive governments have promoted a more internationalist and multilateral approach to foreign policy. A thaw in relations with Atitlan, which were always conducted on the basis of necessity and extracting benefits from the other party, resulted in President Turaimi Ialan meeting Tlatoani Chimalpilli in Atlalilco in December 2004.
Geography
The Mava Islands is formed of five main islands and a number of smaller rocks and islets, the largest being Kuhin. Each island is known by its Mavean-language name. The islands are Mava, Tariul, Luiva, Kiurut, and Lati. The capital and largest city, Taalan, is located on Mava, which is the largest and most populated of all the islands. The archipelago is situated in the Sarosan Ocean, close to the Trianian mainland.
The total land area is 252.29 km2 (97.41 sq mi), making it one of the smallest countries in the world.
The areas and populations (as of 2024) of the main islands are as follows:
| Name | Area | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Mava | 105.96 km2 | 27,499 |
| Luiva | 21.89 km2 | 1,029 |
| Tariul | 34.62 km2 | 2,179 |
| Kiriut | 75.47 km2 | 5,392 |
| Lati | 14.35 km2 | 1,203 |
Climate
The Mava Islands has an oceanic climate (Koppen: Cfb), which is characterised by a narrow temperature range and frequent rainfall. The climate is cool, wet, and windy, with average high temperatures between 19 and 24 °C (66 °F and 75 °F) in summer, and between 9 and 14 °C (48 °F and 57 °F) in winter. Snowfall is rare, the last instance being recorded in March 2011.
| Climate data for Mava (1995–2021) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 18.2 (64.8) |
18.4 (65.1) |
18.2 (64.8) |
15.1 (59.2) |
13.0 (55.4) |
11.0 (51.8) |
10.3 (50.5) |
11.0 (51.8) |
12.2 (54.0) |
13.5 (56.3) |
15.0 (59.0) |
16.8 (62.2) |
14.4 (57.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 14.7 (58.5) |
15.1 (59.2) |
14.0 (57.2) |
12.1 (53.8) |
10.1 (50.2) |
8.3 (46.9) |
7.4 (45.3) |
8.0 (46.4) |
9.1 (48.4) |
10.1 (50.2) |
11.5 (52.7) |
13.4 (56.1) |
11.1 (52.0) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 11.1 (52.0) |
11.7 (53.1) |
10.8 (51.4) |
9.1 (48.4) |
7.1 (44.8) |
5.5 (41.9) |
4.6 (40.3) |
5.1 (41.2) |
5.9 (42.6) |
6.7 (44.1) |
7.9 (46.2) |
10.0 (50.0) |
8.0 (46.4) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 46.2 (1.82) |
61.0 (2.40) |
72.7 (2.86) |
76.0 (2.99) |
85.3 (3.36) |
90.7 (3.57) |
69.3 (2.73) |
69.0 (2.72) |
69.3 (2.73) |
53.2 (2.09) |
50.5 (1.99) |
59.9 (2.36) |
803.1 (31.62) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 6.0 | 6.2 | 7.8 | 11.1 | 13.8 | 14.8 | 14.7 | 12.0 | 11.2 | 9.9 | 7.8 | 9.3 | 124.6 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 75.1 | 77.5 | 80.2 | 81.0 | 84.2 | 85.7 | 85.4 | 82.5 | 79.2 | 76.9 | 75.6 | 75.8 | 79.9 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 187.3 | 141.5 | 120.2 | 102.3 | 77.2 | 57.8 | 70.4 | 97.0 | 105.1 | 125.7 | 141.9 | 160.0 | 1,386.4 |
| Source: UN Climate Data | |||||||||||||
Politics
The 1997 constitution provides for a mixed presidential-parliamentary republic. The head of state and government is the president, who is elected by the Congress from amongst its members and who is dependent on Congress’ continued confidence. This process amended the previous method for electing the president, established in the 1976 constitution, which provided for direct elections. The president has both representative and political functions, and is also commander-in-chief of the Republic of Mava Defence Forces.
Executive power is vested in the government of Mava, which consists principally of the president and the Executive Council (the cabinet). The constitution requires that the president present his cabinet to Congress for its approval; members of Congress may either accept or reject the proposed cabinet as a whole and cannot reject individual ministerial nominees. When the president wields significant authority within Congress, this process is usually a formality, but weaker presidents are usually under greater pressure to follow Congress’ lead.
The Congress of Mava is the country’s unicameral legislature, consisting of 51 members elected by first-past-the post-every five years. At least ten percent of members of Congress must be women, although recent elections have consistently returned a far greater proportion. Whilst the constitution does not prescribe the manner in which the Congress elects the president, convention provides that each party or coalition nominates their respective leaders to a congressional vote. Usually, the leader of the largest party or coalition of parties is elected leader. Until 2021, presidential elections were held under secret ballot, but changes in the law now make each member of Congress vote public.
The judiciary of Mava operates on a common law system and is independent of both the executive and the legislature. The court of final appeal is the Supreme Court, which is principally responsible for ensuring that decisions by lower courts are constitutional and do not infringe on fundamental rights and freedoms enshrined in the constitution. All but one president have previously worked within the judiciary, and thus in all three branches of government.
Although a majority of the population are Kanisuat, politics is dominated by the fully-indigenous Mavean community. Political scientists and observers have characterised the Mavean government as a de facto ethnocratic democracy due to this dominance. As of 2024, no Kanisuat Mavean has been elected to the presidency, whilst only one has been elected speaker of Congress. Political scientist Miguel Sanchez argues that the indigenous minority, which is largely Protestant, has politicised the Kanisuat majority's Catholicism as indicative of a 'colonialist, alien mindset.' He adds that the Catholic Church's history as a supporter of Atitlanese colonialism and its historic penalisation of Protestantism plays a large part in this division. Because of this situation, Mava has been described as an anocracy.
Military
Responsibility for military defence is with the Republic of Mava Defence Forces (MRST), which is responsible for defending the islands’ territorial integrity, including its waters and airspace. The defence force is made up of three branches: the army, the navy, and the air force. Each is governed by a military staff, with the overall command of the defence forces vested in the Defence Staff, composed of the chiefs of the three military staffs.
In times of peace, the MR provides support to the Republic of Mava Police Force and other government departments and agencies as required. This includes fighting against illicit drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and illegal fishing operations; operating search and rescue services; maintaining public order; protecting VIPs; and also providing a ceremonial guard on state occasions.
The constitution requires that the MRST is under civilian control. The President is commander-in-chief; the Minister of Defence and National Security is the member of the cabinet charged with the management of the armed forces and the direction of defence and security policy. Neither the president nor the minister cannot be a serving member of any organisation under the authority of the ministry.
Administrative divisions
On independence in 1970, each of the main five islands was granted provincial status, further divided into fourteen districts. Since the adoption of a new constitution in 1997, Mava Province was abolished and replaced with two new provinces: Taalan and Kuiti, each further divided into two districts. Each province has its own appointed governor and directly-elected council, responsible for the management of local land and the provision of public services.
Demographics
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1972 | 20,033 | — |
| 1977 | 21,961 | +1.85% |
| 1982 | 23,133 | +1.05% |
| 1987 | 24,859 | +1.45% |
| 1992 | 25,888 | +0.81% |
| 1997 | 26,917 | +0.78% |
| 2002 | 29,532 | +1.87% |
| 2007 | 31,260 | +1.14% |
| 2012 | 34,253 | +1.85% |
| 2017 | 35,902 | +0.94% |
| 2022 | 37,302 | +0.77% |
The total population of Mava was 37,302 in the 2022 census. Of this total, around 29,000 live on the island of Mava and the remaining number on a number of smaller islands. The natural population increase is about 1,400 people a year on average.
Over half of all residents are officially of mixed heritage, the vast majority being mixed indigenous-Atitlanese, known as Kanisuat. Persons formally registered as "whole indigenous" (formerly known as "unadulterated native") account for over a third of the population and are the second largest ethnic group. Around 10 percent of the population, the majority of whom are first or second generation Maveans, belong to other ethnic groups and are concentrated in and around the capital.
Languages
Mavean and Almagrian are the co-official languages of Mava. Mavean is spoken by about 80.1 percent of the population, although many more have passing knowledge of the language, which is also designated as the islands' national language. Almagrian, introduced to the islands by Atitlan and spoken there since the 16th century, is widely understood but is fluently spoken by only around 40.5 percent of the population, although only around 4 percent speak it as their first language. Although a less widely spoken language, Almagrian has served as the de facto language of government, with speakers enjoying privileged access to positions in government and congress.
Other languages spoken in Mava include an Almagrian creole spoken on Kiurut (4.7 percent), Anglish (2.4 percent) and XX (1.1 percent). Almagrian and Anglish are the most commonly taught foreign languages in schools.
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Religion
According to the 2022 census, most Maveans are Christians: 87.3 percent recorded Christianity as their faith. Catholics are by far the largest religious group, with 58.1 percent of Mavean Christians belonging to the Roman Catholic Church, the remainder belonging to Protestant (39.4 percent) and other churches (2.5 percent). Catholics are pastorally served by the Diocese of Taalan.
The next largest religious group belong to a selection of folk religious organisations, although many of these groups are nominally Catholic in many of their practises. 5.1 percent of the population declared no religion, the largest proportion since records began.
Other religions in the islands include Buddhism (2.1 percent) and Islam (1.3 percent). There is no state religion and the constitution guarantees protections for all faith groups.
Although Catholicism is the single largest religious group, Protestants have dominated Mavean politics since independence. This is largely attributable to the political dominance of the largely-Protestant fully indigenous Mavean population, many of whom reject Catholicism as colonial.
Education
Primary and secondary education is free and compulsory in Mava, with children required to attend school from the age of five to sixteen. Until recently, the majority of schools were private, most commonly mission schools run by Atitlanese Catholic missionaries. In 2000, almost 70 percent of primary schools and around 50 percent of secondary schools were mission schools. Since the beginning of the 2010s, these schools have been incorporated into the state-run school system, although most have retained their religious character and administration.
There are only two tertiary education institutions in Mava. The University of the Republic (Mavean: Repalik ngat Siattarlijuat), formerly the Royal Institute of Higher Education, is the sole university in the country. The National Institute for Science, Engineering, and Technology was established by state charter in 2004 to provide specialised education in STEM subjects. A large number of students travel overseas for university education, especially those seeking medical training.
Economy
The nominal GDP per capital in 2023 was $5,907, with a total GDP of $220.342 million, making Mava among the poorest countries in the world. However, adjusted to take into account purchasing power, per capita wealth was $11,203, with most wealth concentrated on the main island of Mava. The majority of islanders (82 percent) are in the labour force, most of whom were in formal employment. Home production and subsistence work constitutes a large part of the workforce, with between 5 and 20 percent of the population recorded as employed in this sector, depending on the data compiled.
Mava has an above-average percentage of the population in work. This is partly due to many working in the home and in semi-informal employment, but also because of a culture that emphasises work ethic and contribution to the wider community. Consequently, large numbers of older people continue in work after they become eligible for retirement.
Transport
Public buses are free of charge for students, the disabled, and senior citizens, a policy introduced in 2018. There is currently one express railway that links Taalan with a number of other smaller towns and villages; there was previously another privately-owned railway, but this has since been decommissioned after the managing company fell into bankruptcy.
The harbour of Taalan handles a large part of the islands' international trade, and also serves as a cruise terminal. The habour and the nearby Taalan International Airport handles tens of thousands of inbound journeys every year and are policed by a specialist police force.
Travel between islands is only possible by boat. A boat service managed by the Ministry of Transport provides regular trips between a number of islands, with private companies providing services where the ministry does not. Since 1992, there have been repeated attempts to build a second airport outside of Mava Island, although finance and political infighting have repeatedly held back the proposal.
Agriculture
Agriculture in Mava continues to be an important part of the islands' economy, even though recent efforts to diversify the economy and the importing of new foods and supplies have seen domestic agricultural production decline as a share of GDP. Agricultural land covers approximately 20 percent of Mava's land and employs around 9 percent of the population. In 2023, agriculture generated around 7 percent of GDP - a decline from 16 percent in 1993 - but continues to be the islands' main export.
There are around 30 independent farms in Mava, of which 10 are professional. Most are less than 2 hectare in size, with the vast majority being run by individual farmers, mostly between the ages of 40 and 59 years old.
Tourism
Mava has a modest but growing tourism industry. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism reported 37,382 annual visitors from 2011-2018. In 2019, a 1,000 unit resort was constructed in a partnership between Mava and Atitlan, with the government aiming to increase the number of annual visitors to 50,000 by 2050 (known as the '50-50 Goal'). The development of tourism has become an important part of the islands' economy, and has fuelled further economic growth through direct and indirect employment and income generation for related industries.
The Mavean government has introduced several policies to encourage tourism. Visitors to Mava do not require a visa pre-arrival, provided that they have a valid passport, proof of return travel, and enough money to be self-sufficient whilst in the country. The Taalan International Airport, which was modernised in 2011-12, welcomes the vast majority of visitors. Plans for a second airport for local travel are currently being debated in Congress.
Currency
The Mavean pauna (ISO 4217 code: MVP) was introduced in 1975, replacing the Atitlanese peso at par. The peso continued as an official currency until 1983. Although the peso is not an officially circulating currency in the islands, the Mavean economy's integration with that of Atitlan and the pauna being pegged at par with the peso means that Atitlanese coins and banknotes remain generally accepted throughout the islands.
The pauna does not have an official symbol. In official documents, the symbol "P." is used. Other versions include "MVP" and "MP" in contexts where there is need to distinguish from other currencies. The pauna is divided into 100 nenutait (singular: nenut), although nenut coins are not commonly used. The Republic of Mava Currency Board issues coins and banknotes. Commemorative coins, which are not intended for circulation, are also issued for collectors.
Culture
Mavean culture has long been influenced by its neighbours as well as colonial, mercantile, and missionary settlers.
Historians divide Mava's cultural development into three distinct periods: pre-colonial, colonial, and modern. Prior to Atitlanese colonisation, Maveans practised a variety of different cultures on each of the islands of the archipelago, each being regional variants of a broader norm that were influenced by migration between the islands. The Atitlanese brought with them their own culture and traditions, as well as Protestant missionaries from their own respective nations. For much of the colonial period, the colonial government sought to suppress and replace indigenous culture with its own Catholic-dominated practices, often vying for influence with Protestant missions. The most prominent aspects of this cultural colonialism include the foundation of a number of churches and cathedrals on all the main islands, replacing native names with Atitlanese and Almagrian names, and the installation of a local elite socialised into Atitlanese culture and identity.
Beginning in the 1920s, the suppression of local identities slowly began to turn into accommodation. However, this was reversed during the Sarimiento regime. On independence, the indigenous minority ended the preeminance of the Kanisaut elite and promoted the "Maveanisation" of the islands - including policies that encouraged the adoption of indigenous names; the renaming of buildings, towns, and roads; and the suppression of the Kanisaut political voice.
However, the political divide between the indigenous and Kanisaut communities and the resultant self-segregation between many in the two communities has not prevented cultural mixing. Both groups continue to share their cultures and fuse practices from the other group with their own, with a new "fused" generation promoting more amiable relations between the two communities.
Health
The under-five mortality rate in 2018 was 29.4 per 1000, whilst the infant mortality rate generally was 20.3 per 1000. Since 2000, successive governments have introduced efforts to expand vaccination to all children. Between 2000 and 2020, the proportion of infants who were not vaccinated declined from around half to one in five, although the expansion of vaccination programs into outlying islands continues to face difficulties. Nutrition programs and education, partly funded and sponsored by international aid, has improved understanding of a balanced diet and limited the widespread consumption of sugar and other unhealthy foods.
Extreme poverty continues to be a problem, particularly for rural communities whose lifestyles are based on a subsistence existence. Since 1979, there has been a universal healthcare system that has worked to expand access to healthcare among the poorest.
Women's rights
Women continue to face difficulties in society not experienced by men. Mavean culture historically placed much emphasis on a positive and active role for women in society, but Atitlanese colonial policies, supported by the Catholic Church, imposed severe limitations on women. Today, Mavean society continues to struggle with high rates of femicide and gender-based violence, despite successive laws enacted to increase the severity of such crimes.
Beginning in the 2000s, women have achieved greater influence in politics. As of 2022, 29 percent of seats in Congress are held by women, with proposals for a quota for elected female representatives receiving support from many in congress.
Sports
Football is the most popular sport in Mava. The national team is the Mava national football team. Other popular sports include basketball and rugby.
See also
- President of Mava
- Congress of Mava