Kaafu Atoll
Encyclopedia
Kaafu Atoll is an administrative division
of the Maldives
. It consists of Kaashidhoo Island
, Gahaafaru Atoll
, and Malé Atoll
(which includes the North Malé Atoll and the South Malé Atoll). It also has a number of uninhabited islands.
Malé
, capital of the Maldives is naturally located within the North Malé Atoll, but it is not part of the Kaafu administrative division.
NOTE: Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa, Baa, Kaafu, etc. are code letters assigned to the present administrative divisions of the Maldives. They are not the proper names of the natural atolls
that make up these divisions. Some atolls are divided into two administrative divisions while other divisions are made up of two or more natural atolls. The order followed by the code letters is from North to South, beginning with the first letters of the Thaana
alphabet used in Dhivehi
. These code letters are not accurate from the geographical and cultural point of view. However, they have become popular among tourists and foreigners in the Maldives who find them easier to pronounce than the true atoll names in Dhivehi, (save a few exceptions, like Ari Atoll).
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...
. It consists of Kaashidhoo Island
Kaashidhoo (Kaafu Atoll)
Kaashidhoo is one of the inhabited islands of Kaafu Atoll. It is located at the northern tip Malé atoll and is the fifth biggest island in the entire Maldivian archipelago. Kaashidhoo is well known for its wealth in coconut trees...
, Gahaafaru Atoll
Gaafaru (Kaafu Atoll)
Gaafaru is one of the inhabited islands of Kaafu Atoll, the only island of the natural atoll known as Gaafaru.-Gahaafaru Atoll:...
, and Malé Atoll
Malé Atoll
Malé Atoll is a natural atoll of the Maldives. This atoll consists of two separate atolls: North Malé Atoll and South Malé Atoll.Together with Kaashidhoo Island and Gaafaru, Malé Atoll forms the administrative division known as Kaafu Atoll....
(which includes the North Malé Atoll and the South Malé Atoll). It also has a number of uninhabited islands.
Malé
Malé
Malé , is the capital and most populous city in the Republic of Maldives. It is located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll . It is also one of the Administrative divisions of the Maldives. Traditionally it was the King's Island, from where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties ruled and where...
, capital of the Maldives is naturally located within the North Malé Atoll, but it is not part of the Kaafu administrative division.
NOTE: Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa, Baa, Kaafu, etc. are code letters assigned to the present administrative divisions of the Maldives. They are not the proper names of the natural atolls
Atolls of the Maldives
The Maldives are formed by a number of natural atolls plus atolls in the form of a few islands and isolated reefs today which form a pattern stretching from 7 degrees 10' North to 0 degrees 45' South....
that make up these divisions. Some atolls are divided into two administrative divisions while other divisions are made up of two or more natural atolls. The order followed by the code letters is from North to South, beginning with the first letters of the Thaana
Thaana
Thaana, Taana or Tāna is the modern writing system of the Divehi language spoken in the Maldives. Taana has characteristics of both an abugida and a true alphabet , with consonants derived from indigenous and Arabic numerals, and vowels derived from the vowel diacritics of the Arabic abjad...
alphabet used in 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...
. These code letters are not accurate from the geographical and cultural point of view. However, they have become popular among tourists and foreigners in the Maldives who find them easier to pronounce than the true atoll names in Dhivehi, (save a few exceptions, like Ari Atoll).
Uninhabited Islands
Although uninhabited, some islands of the atoll have commercial uses. These include- Baros which was previously inhabited and abandoned only during the reign of Sultan Hassan Nooraddeen I for unknown reasons. It is now the home of the Baros Island Resort.
- Bodu Hithi which houses a 5-star Coco Palm resort http://www.cocopalm.com/en/bodu-hithi/location/.
- Dhoonidhoo which houses a detention unit http://www.amnesty.org/fr/library/asset/ASA29/010/2006/fr/5799b685-d3d1-11dd-8743-d305bea2b2c7/asa290102006en.pdf.
- Farukolhufushi which housed a Club Med until the tsunami on December 26, 2004. Another resort named Club Faru opened here around the end of 2005.
- Ihuru on which is located a Maldivian 4 star resort, the "Angsana Resort and Spa Maldives"
- Kanifinolhu which houses a Club Med village (Club Med Kani), the only one on the atoll since the Club Med Faru on Farukolhufushi was destroyed.
- Lankanfinolhu which has been home to a tourist-resort called "Paradise Island Resort" since 1979.
- Dhigufinolhu which has housed a 5-star Maldivian resort, Anantara Dhigu Resort and Spa, since September 2006.