Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
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| Attribute | MaldivesReviewed | BrazilReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Mixed Islamic and common law | Civil law |
| System of government | Presidential republic | Federal presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of the Republic of Maldives | Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil |
| In force since | 2008 | 1988 |
| Capital | Malé | Brasília |
| Official languages | Dhivehi | Portuguese |
| Currency | Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR) | Brazilian Real (BRL) |
| Population | 521,000 | 217,000,000 |
| Division of powers | Unitary with a decentralised layer under the Decentralisation Act 2010: 21 atolls with elected atoll councils, plus island and city councils. Councils have limited revenue-raising and service delivery functions; the geography of roughly 190 inhabited islands makes administrative decentralisation a practical necessity rather than a constitutional division of sovereignty. | Presidentialism with a bicameral Congress and an assertive judiciary; the STF hears direct actions of unconstitutionality brought by defined institutional applicants. |
| How law is made | Bills pass the Majlis by simple majority and go to the President, who may assent or return the bill once; a second passage requires assent. The Attorney General advises on constitutionality, and the Supreme Court may rule on it after enactment. Constitutional amendments need a two-thirds majority, and amendments to specified provisions also require a public referendum. | Bills pass both chambers, with the initiating chamber reviewing amendments; the President may veto in whole or part, and Congress may override in joint session. |
| Legal profession | Lawyers are licensed and regulated by the Maldives Bar Council, established under the Legal Profession Act 2019 — before which licensing sat with the Attorney General's office and then the Department of Judicial Administration. A recognised law degree, the Bar examination and a period of training are required, and licences are tiered by the level of court in which the lawyer may appear. | Law graduates must pass the OAB examination; membership of the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil is mandatory to practise. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.