Alif Dhaal Atoll

Alifu Dhaalu Atoll
Atoll Summary
Administrative name	Alifu Dhaalu Atoll
Atoll name	Ari Atoll Dhekunuburi
Location	3° 55' N and 3° 28' N
Letter	I
Abbreviation	ADh (އދ)
Capital	Mahibadhoo
Population	8679
No. of Islands	49
Inhabited Islands	10
Atoll Chief	Mohamed Mahir [1]
Inhabited Islands
Dhangethi Dhiddhoo Dhigurah Fenfushi Haggnaameedhoo Kunburudhoo Maamingili Mahibadhoo Mandhoo Omadhoo
Uninhabited Islands
Alikoirah Angaagaa Ariadhoo Athurugau Bodufinolhu Bodukaashihuraa Bulhaaholhi Dhehasanulunboihuraa Dhiddhoofinolhu Dhiffushi Dhiggaru Enboodhoo Finolhu Gasfinolhu Heenfaru Hiyafushi Hukurudhoo Hurasdhoo Huruelhi Huvahendhoo Innafushi Kalhuhandhihuraa Kudadhoo Kudarah Maafushivaru Machchafushi Medhufinolhu Mirihi Moofushi Nalaguraidhoo Rahddhiggaa Rangali Rangalifinolhu Rashukolhuhuraa Theluveligaa Tholhifushi Thundufushi Vakarufalhi Vilamendhoo Villingili Villinglivaru Resort islands, Airports and Industrial islands are also considered uninhabited

Southern Ari Atoll or Alifu Dhaalu Atoll is an administrative division of the Maldives.

The separation of Ari Atoll (formerly Alifu Atoll) on March 1, 1984, into a Northern and a Southern section formed the two most recent administrative divisions of the Maldives, namely Alifu Alifu Atoll and Alifu Dhaalu Atoll. Alifu Dhaalu Atoll lies south of the line between the channels of Himendhoo Dhekunukandu and Genburugau Kandu.

There used to be a beautiful ancient mosque in Fenfushi island having wooden decorated ceilings and lacquerwork panels.

Buddhist remains, including a stupa, have been found in Ariadhoo Island.

Rangalifinolhu island in Ari Atoll or Alif Dhaalu Atoll where Conrad-Hilton operates its resort in the Maldives.

NOTE: Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa, Baa, Kaafu, etc. (including Alif Dhaalu) 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).^[1]

References

1. ^ Tim Godfrey, Atlas of the Maldives, Atoll Editions 2004

• Divehi Tārīkhah Au Alikameh. Divehi Bahāi Tārikhah Khidmaiykurā Qaumī Markazu. Reprint 1958 edn. Malé 1990.
• Divehiraajjege Jōgrafīge Vanavaru. Muhammadu Ibrahim Lutfee. G.Sōsanī.
• Xavier Romero-Frias, The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom. Barcelona 1999.

Coordinates: 3°39′N 72°50′E / 3.65°N 72.83°E / 3.65; 72.83