Male, Maldives/Colombo - A former political prisoner has been elected as the Maldives' new president, ending Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's record as one of Asia's longest-serving leaders, officials in Male said Wednesday.

Gayoom, 71, was denied a seventh-consecutive term in Tuesday's run-off election and is to be succeeded by Mohamed "Anni" Nasheed, a 41-year-old activist who was once imprisoned by Gayoom's government.

Election Commission officials in Male said Nasheed received 54.21 per cent of the 174,250 votes cast against Gayoom's 45.7 per cent. Turnout was 83 per cent, they said.

Gayoom did nearly as well in the first round of voting held October 8 when he received 44 per cent while Nasheed got 25 per cent -both short of the required 50 per cent, prompting Tuesday's run-off.

Gayoom, who has ruled the Indian Ocean archipelago since 1978, has in recent years been under local and international pressure to introduce political reforms giving wider powers to parliament.

Nasheed, who represents the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), campaigned for democratic reforms.

After the declaration of the results, hundreds of MDP supporters took to the streets chanting slogans welcoming Nasheed.

During his campaign, Nasheed pledged to eradicate corruption, upgrade infrastructure and improve the educational system.

Tourism is the main source of income for the Maldives, a popular tourist destination with its diving locations being among its main attractions.

The defeat of Gayoom was likely to see the return of a large number of MDP supporters living outside the country. Some had expressed fears of being harassed by the Gayoom regime if they returned home. (dpa)