Meedhoo (Addu)

Meedhoo
Island Summary
Belongs to	Seenu Atoll (Addu City)
Location	northeast (at the tip of Addu Atoll)
Area	2.0495[citation needed]
Population	2511
Length	2350m
Width	1625m
Distance from Malé	528.90km

For other islands, see Meedhoo.

Meedhoo (Dhivehi: މީދޫ) is the oldest populated island in Addu Atoll in the Republic of Maldives, having been settled between 1000 and 500 BCE. Its current population is 2511^[1]. Its name comes from the original Indo-Aryan settlers; Meedhoo means Big Island in Sanskrit.

The original settlers were divehi people of ariyan origin. Arab traveller by the name of Yoosuf Naib planted the seed of Islam and built a place to worship Allah in the 12th century.In this island where the first mosque was built in the country to worship Allah, has ever since known as a centre of learning and Islamic religious education.

Meedhoo is one of the largest islands in the Maldives. It is famous for the scholars it has produced. Since the sixteenth century eight natives of Meedhoo have served as Fandiyaaru, or Qazi, at Malé. To this day, Meedhoo Ulamma and other noted ecclesiastics hold their own with those of the capital.

Wards of Meedhoo

Fen'aa Avashu & Dheshenaa Avashu are the main Two Wards of Meedhoo.

Notes

1. ^ "Meedhoo - Addu Atoll". Ministry of Atolls Development, Maldives. 2006. http://www.atolls.gov.mv/islands.asp?atoll_letter=S%20%20&islandcode=S1%20&atolldhiv=Seenu. Retrieved 2007-12-16. 

Coordinates: 00°35′20″S 73°13′50″E / 0.58889°S 73.23056°E / -0.58889; 73.23056