Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll

Haa Alifu Atoll
Atoll Summary
Administrative name	Haa Alifu Atoll
Atoll name	Thiladhunmathi Uthuruburi
Location	6° 48' N and 7° 07' N
Letter	A
Abbreviation	HA (ހއ)
Capital	Dhiddhoo
Population	19251
No. of Islands	42
Inhabited Islands	16
Atoll Chief	Mohamed Rasheed [1]
Inhabited Islands
Baarah Berinmadhoo Dhiddhoo Filladhoo Hathifushi Hoarafushi Ihavandhoo Kelaa Maarandhoo Mulhadhoo Muraidhoo Thakandhoo Thuraakunu Uligamu Utheemu Vashafaru
Uninhabited Islands
Alidhoo, Alidhuffarufinolhu, Beenaafushi, Dhapparu, Dhapparuhuraa, Dhigufaruhuraa, Dhonakulhi, Gaafushi, Gaamathikulhudhoo, Gallandhoo, Govvaafushi, Huraa, Huvahandhoo, Innafinolhu, Kudafinolhu, Maafahi, Maafinolhu, Madulu, Manafaru, Matheerah, Medhafushi, Mulidhoo, Naridhoo, Umaraiffinolhu, Ungulifinolhu, Vagaaru, Velifinolhu Resort islands, Airports and Industrial islands are also considered uninhabited

Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll is the northern section of Thiladhunmathi Atoll, a natural atoll of the Maldives.

As the administrative division known as Haa Alif Atoll it includes Ihavandhippolhu, the northernmost natural atoll of the Maldive archipelago, as well as a section of the larger Thiladhunmathi or Tiladummati Atoll.

Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll contains 42 islands, 16 of which are inhabited.

History

In Matheerah there is a famous shrine (ziyaraiy) which was visited formerly by the Maldive kings and their families in order to seek blessings. This island was referred to with the honorific title, Matheerahffulhu.

Traditionally the northernmost atoll of the Maldives was Minicoy (Maliku). Fishermen from Thuraakunu and from Minicoy often crossed the Maliku Kandu on their boats to visit each other's islands. Marriage alliances were common.

Now Minicoy is a part of India and communication is highly restricted.

References

• 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.