Southern Nilandhe Atoll, Nilande Atoll South or Dhaalu' Atoll is one of the atolls of the Maldives

Maldives

The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...

. It corresponds to the natural atoll of the same name.

Geography

It stretches 23km (14 mi) from east to west, and 38km (24 mi) north to south. Out of a total of 56 islands, seven of the islands are inhabited, with a total population of around 6694.
The capital island is Kudahuvadhoo

Kudahuvadhoo (Dhaalu Atoll)

Kudahuvadhoo is one of the inhabited islands Dhaalu or South Nilande Atoll, Maldives. It is also the capital of the atoll and the proposed capital for the Medhu Province of the Maldives. Kudahivadhoo has a population of about 2300...

, located at the atoll's southern tip.

Hulhudheli and Rinbudhoo (Rimbudu) islands, located to the west of this atoll, are islands traditionally renowned for the skill of their jewellers.

The formerly inhabited island of Gemendhoo

Gemendhoo (Dhaalu Atoll)

Gemendhoo is a formerly inhabited island of Dhaalu Atoll. The island is located on the eastern fringe of the atoll and is surrounded by a long line of 11 uninhabited islands. The route through these islands from Bulhalafushi which ends approximately 7 kilometers away at Naibukaloabodufushi can be...

 on the eastern fringe of the atoll is surrounded by a long line of 11 uninhabited islands. The route from Bulhalafushi to Naibukaloabodufushi passes through these islands and can be walked in low tide.

History

Some of the islands in this atoll have remains from the Buddhist period, but none of them have been properly excavated yet. Mysterious mounds known as hawittas are found in Kudahuvadhu. The old mosque of Kudahuvadhoo, possesses some of the finest masonry in the country.

Opened to tourism in 1998, the atoll has become a popular location for SCUBA diving

Scuba diving

Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....

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Gemendhoo was abandoned after the Tsunami of 2005 destroyed the buildings.