For other islands see Gan

Gan

Gan may refer to:-Computing and telecommunications:*.gan, the file extension for documents created by GanttProject*Generic Access Network formerly known as Unlicensed Mobile Access *Global Area Network- Mythology :...

Gan (Dhivehi

Dhivehi language

Maldivian is an Indo-Aryan language predominantly spoken by about 350,000 people in the Maldives where it is the national language. It is also the first language of nearly 10,000 people in the island of Minicoy in the Union territory of Lakshadweep, India where the Mahl dialect of the Maldivian...

: ގަން) is one of the inhabited islands of Haddhunmathi Atoll

Haddhunmathi Atoll

Haddhunmathi or Haddummati Atoll is an administrative division of the Maldives. It corresponds to the natural atoll of the same name.It is mostly rimmed by barrier reefs, the broadest of which are topped by islands...

, administrative code Laamu and the proposed capital for the Mathi-Dhekunu Province

Administrative divisions of the Maldives

The Administrative Divisions of the Maldives refers to the various units of government that provide local government services in the Maldives. According to the Decentralization Act 2010, the administrative divisions of the Maldives would consist of atolls, islands, and cities; each administered by...

 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...

. Gan is the longest island of the Maldives. It is divided in wards, the northernmost of which is called Thundi.

This island should not be confused with other Maldive islands called "Gan" in Addu Atoll

Gan (Seenu Atoll)

Gan is the southernmost island of Addu Atoll, as well as the southernmost island of the Maldives. It is relatively large by Maldive standards....

 and Huvadhu Atoll

Gan (Huvadhu Atoll)

Gan is one of the uninhabited islands of Southern Huvadhu Atoll, in the Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll administrative division of the Maldives.Gan Island was formerly inhabited, but its inhabitants moved to neighboring islands after a severe epidemic at the end of the 18th century. Before that point, there is...

.

Archaeology

Gan Island has large ruins from the historical Maldivian Buddhist era.

• A ruin called “Gamu Haiytheli” is situated on Mudhin Hinna in the Mukurimagu ward of the island. It is 91.5 m in circumference and 7.3 m in height. Local tradition says that this was the last Buddhist temple of the Maldives.
• Ruins called “Munbaru” in an area called Kuruhinna. These were investigated by H. C. P. Bell in 1923 and a report with photographs was published in his monograph of 1940.

The ruins in Gan were the best preserved ruins from the Buddhist past in the Maldives when H. C. P. Bell excavated some of the island's Buddhist remains, especially one of the stupa

Stupa

A stupa is a mound-like structure containing Buddhist relics, typically the remains of Buddha, used by Buddhists as a place of worship....

s and a vihara

Vihara

Vihara is the Sanskrit and Pali term for a Buddhist monastery. It originally meant "a secluded place in which to walk", and referred to "dwellings" or "refuges" used by wandering monks during the rainy season....

at Kuruhinna. Recently, however, much vandalism has taken place at those unprotected sites and only scattered stones and mounds of coral rubble remain.