Haa Alif Atoll
Description
Haa Alif Atoll (also known as Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll or Thiladhunmathi Uthuruburi) is the northernmost of the 19 administrative atolls of the Maldives.
Geographically, this atoll consists of Ihavandhippolhu, the northernmost geographical atoll of the Maldive archipelago, and the northern section of Thiladhunmathi atoll, which was administratively divided into northern and southern divisions in 1958. The atoll's official name, 'North Thiladhunmathi' is in reference to this division. Today, Haa Alif Atoll contains 43 islands, 14 of which are inhabited and classified as 'island-class' constituencies. Haa Alif Atoll is the third-largest atoll in the Maldives in terms of population and land area.
The capital of Haa Alif Atoll, and the location of the Secretariat of North Thiladhunmathi Atoll Council is the island of Dhidhdhoo.
History
In Matheerah there is a famous shrine (ziyaraiy, mausoleum) which was visited formerly by the Maldive kings and their families in order to seek blessings. Such tomb visits are aspects of Sufism that existed among the Maldivians until very recent times. Hence this island was referred to with the honorific title Matheerahffulhu (High (noble) Island) by the Sufi Muslims of the Maldives at that time.
Traditionally the northernmost atoll of the Maldives was Minicoy (Maliku). Fishermen from Thuraakunu and from Minicoy often crossed the Maliku Kandu on their boats to visit each other's islands. Marriage alliances were common. Now Minicoy is a part of India and communication is highly restricted.
Islands
Haa Alif Atoll contains 43 islands. 14 of them are inhabited, and are classified as administrative island constituencies. Each of these constituencies have an 'island council' which responds to the North Thiladhunmathi Atoll Council.
Map Alidhoo Alidhuffarufinolhu Beenaafushi Berinmadhoo Dhapparuhura Dhigufaruhura Dhonakulhi Gaafushi Gaamathikulhudhoo Gallandhoo Govvaafushi Hathifushi Huvahandhoo Innafinolhu Kandaalifinolhu Kudafinolhu Maafahi Maafinolhu Maarandhoofarufinolhu Madulu Manafaru Matheerah Medhafushi Mulidhoo Naridhoo Umareifinolhu Un'gulifinolhu Van'gaaru Velifinolhu Baarah Dhidhdhoo Filladhoo Hoarafushi Ihavandhoo Kelaa Maarandhoo Mulhadhoo Muraidhoo Thakandhoo Thuraakunu Uligamu Utheemu VashafaruIsland constituencies
Name Population(2006) Education Health Political ward Remarks Baarah 1,203 K-10 1 health centre A03 Baarah Dhidhdhoo 2,512 K-11 1 hospital A04 Dhidhdhoo Capital of Atoll Filladhoo 548 K-10 1 health centre A05 Kelaa Hoarafushi 2,204 K-12 1 health centre A01 Hoarafushi Ihavandhoo 2,447 K-12 1 health centre A02 Ihavandhoo Kelaa 1,200 K-10 1 health centre A05 Kelaa Maarandhoo 530 K-10 1 health centre A02 Ihavandhoo Mulhadhoo 172 K-8 1 health provider A02 Ihavandhoo Muraidhoo 451 K-10 1 health centre A03 Baarah Thakandhoo 340 K-9 1 health centre A03 Baarah Thuraakunu 347 K-10 1 health centre A01 Hoarafushi Northernmost island in the country. Uligamu 267 K-10 1 health centre A01 Hoarafushi Utheemu 521 K-10 1 health centre A03 Baarah Location of iconic Utheemu Ganduvaru. Vashafaru 471 K-12 1 health centre A05 Kelaa
Uninhabited Islands
All uninhabited islands in Haa Alif Atoll are under the control of the North Thiladhunmathi Atoll Council.
Name Current usage Coordinates Remarks Alidhoo Resort (Operational) 6°50′55″N 73°09′07″E / 6.84861°N 73.15194°E / 6.84861; 73.15194 Resort: Cinnamon Island Alidhoo Alidhuffarufinolhu - 6°51′39″N 73°06′16″E / 6.86083°N 73.10444°E / 6.86083; 73.10444 Beenaafushi - 6°55′42″N 73°08′11″E / 6.92833°N 73.13639°E / 6.92833; 73.13639 Berinmadhoo Resort (Development) 7°02′50″N 72°58′16″E / 7.04722°N 72.97111°E / 7.04722; 72.97111 Was previously inhabited. Population relocated to Hoarafushi. Dhapparuhura - 6°54′55″N 73°12′40″E / 6.91528°N 73.21111°E / 6.91528; 73.21111 Dhigufaruhura - 6°55′26″N 72°58′08″E / 6.92389°N 72.96889°E / 6.92389; 72.96889 Dhonakulhi Resort (Operational) 6°50′35″N 73°03′05″E / 6.84306°N 73.05139°E / 6.84306; 73.05139 Resort: Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa Maldives Gaafushi - 6°51′07″N 73°03′27″E / 6.85194°N 73.05750°E / 6.85194; 73.05750 Gaamathikulhudhoo - 7°02′21″N 72°59′04″E / 7.03917°N 72.98444°E / 7.03917; 72.98444 Gallandhoo - 6°56′48″N 72°58′59″E / 6.94667°N 72.98306°E / 6.94667; 72.98306 Govvaafushi - 7°00′45″N 72°55′09″E / 7.01250°N 72.91917°E / 7.01250; 72.91917 Hathifushi - 7°01′12″N 72°49′49″E / 7.02000°N 72.83028°E / 7.02000; 72.83028 Was previously inhabited. Population relocated to Hanimaadhoo. Huvahandhoo - 6°57′32″N 72°54′18″E / 6.95889°N 72.90500°E / 6.95889; 72.90500 Innafinolhu - 7°04′25″N 72°48′40″E / 7.07361°N 72.81111°E / 7.07361; 72.81111 Kandaalifinolhu - 6°55′35″N 73°07′48″E / 6.92639°N 73.13000°E / 6.92639; 73.13000 Kudafinolhu - 6°59′22″N 72°53′00″E / 6.98944°N 72.88333°E / 6.98944; 72.88333 Maafahi Fisheries 6°49′42″N 73°09′23″E / 6.82833°N 73.15639°E / 6.82833; 73.15639 Leased for long-term fisheries and agriculture. Maafinolhu - 7°00′08″N 72°51′44″E / 7.00222°N 72.86222°E / 7.00222; 72.86222 Maarandhoofarufinolhu - 6°49′43″N 72°58′19″E / 6.82861°N 72.97194°E / 6.82861; 72.97194 Madulu Agriculture 7°03′17″N 72°57′11″E / 7.05472°N 72.95306°E / 7.05472; 72.95306 Leased for long-term fisheries and agriculture. Manafaru Resort (Operational) 6°59′49″N 72°56′23″E / 6.99694°N 72.93972°E / 6.99694; 72.93972 Resort: The Beach House Iruveli (Waldorf Astoria Maldives) Matheerah - 7°01′39″N 72°49′08″E / 7.02750°N 72.81889°E / 7.02750; 72.81889 Medhafushi Agriculture 7°00′38″N 72°56′02″E / 7.01056°N 72.93389°E / 7.01056; 72.93389 Leased for long-term fisheries and agriculture. Mulidhoo - 6°50′10″N 73°00′40″E / 6.83611°N 73.01111°E / 6.83611; 73.01111 Naridhoo Resort (Development) 6°53′42″N 73°07′36″E / 6.89500°N 73.12667°E / 6.89500; 73.12667 Umareifinolhu - 7°00′34″N 72°51′03″E / 7.00944°N 72.85083°E / 7.00944; 72.85083 Un'gulifinolhu - 6°58′15″N 72°54′03″E / 6.97083°N 72.90083°E / 6.97083; 72.90083 Van'gaaru - 7°05′35″N 72°52′41″E / 7.09306°N 72.87806°E / 7.09306; 72.87806 Velifinolhu - 6°59′39″N 72°52′28″E / 6.99417°N 72.87444°E / 6.99417; 72.87444Disappeared Islands
These are islands which during recorded history, have been completely eroded away, claimed by the sea due to the sea-level rise associated with global warming or assimilated by other islands.
- Gasthirifinolhu
- Gudhanfushi
- Huraa
- Nasfaru
- Thiladhoo (merged into Dhidhdhoo, it was after this island that the atoll got its name of 'Thiladhunmathi')
- Thinadhoo
Atoll Council
North Thiladhunmathi Atoll Council is the local government body responsible for the governance of the Haa Alif Atoll. The council was created in 2011, with the enactment of the Decentralization Bill, which saw the introduction of local governance to the country.
The atoll is divided up into 5 political wards each with two councillors.
