Alif Alif Atoll (also known as Northern Ari Atoll or Ari Atholhu Uthuruburi) is an administrative division of the Maldives. It was created on March 1, 1984, combining northern section of Ari Atoll, the small Rasdhukuramathi Atoll, and the isolated island of Thoddoo. Many of the islands in this atoll have been inhabited since ancient times and have archaeological remains from the Maldivian Buddhist period.
The separation of Ari Atoll (formerly Alifu Atoll) into a Northern and a Southern section has formed the two most recent administrative divisions of the Maldives, namely Alifu Alifu Atoll and Alifu Dhaalu Atoll.
Geography The North Ari Atoll administrative division consists of the northern part of the geographic or natural atoll Ari Atoll (described as Northern Ari Atoll in this context to differentiate from the official name of the administrative division), Rasdhukuramathi Atoll and Thoddoo Island. The atolls consist of Inhabited Islands and Uninhabited Island, a definition which includes resort islands, airport islands and industrial islands.
Inhabited islands NamePopulationBased on 2014 Census CoordinatesBased on list of islands in Geographic Atoll/Island RemarksBodufolhudhoo 586 Northern Ari Atoll Feridhoo 413 Northern Ari Atoll Himandhoo 667 Northern Ari Atoll Maalhos 408 Northern Ari Atoll Mathiveri 623 Northern Ari Atoll Rasdhoo 949 Rasdhukuramathi Atoll Capital of North Ari Atoll administrative division, known as Ross Atoll in the Admiralty Charts Thoddoo 2,023 Thoddoo Island Ukulhas 921 Northern Ari Atoll
Maalhos: Maalhos is geographically the westernmost island of the atoll and the second-most westerly inhabited island of the Maldives after Maamakunudhoo. Vajrayana Buddhist remains have been found on this island.
Rasdhoo: Rasdhoo is the capital island of the North Ari Atoll administrative division. It has ferry connections with Malé as well as the other inhabited islands of the atoll. The island has several guesthouses catering to tourists visiting inhabited islands rather than resort islands.
Resort islands Resort islands are classified as Uninhabited Islands which have been converted to become resorts. The following are the resort islands, with the official name of the resort.
NameResort Name CoordinatesBased on list of islands in Geographic Atoll RemarksBathalaa Bathala Island Resort Northern Ari Atoll EllaidhooEllaidhoo Maldives Northern Ari Atoll FesdhooW Maldives Northern Ari Atoll GaathafushiGaathufushi Private Island Northern Ari Atoll Owned by W MaldivesGangehiGangehi Island Resort Northern Ari Atoll Owned by UHC ResortsHalaveliConstance Halaveli Northern Ari Atoll Kan'dholhudhooKandolhu Maldives Northern Ari Atoll KudafolhudhooNika Island Resort Northern Ari Atoll KuramathiKuramathi Maldives Rasdhukuramathi Atoll MaayafushiVoi Maayafushi Resort Northern Ari Atoll VelidhooVelidhoo Island Resort Northern Ari Atoll VeliganduVeligandu Island Resort Northern Ari Atoll
Veligandu: Veligandu covers and is 600 metres long. It is a holiday resort with 91 rooms and a snorkelling reef. A large number of workers at the resort come from Sri Lanka and India. The island is linked to Male by seaplane services.
Other uninhabited islands Name Current usage Coordinates Geographic Atoll/Island Remarks Alikoirah Northern Ari Atoll Etheremadivaru Northern Ari Atoll Earmarked for resort development by Emaar Group as Address Madivaru, scheduled for opening in 2020.Fusfinolhu Northern Ari Atoll Fushi Northern Ari Atoll Gaagandu Northern Ari Atoll Maagau Northern Ari Atoll Madivaru Northern Ari Atoll Formerly Banyan Tree Madivaru, now closedMadivarufinolhu Rasdhukuramathi Atoll Madoogali Northern Ari Atoll Mathivereefinolhu Northern Ari Atoll Mushimasmigili Northern Ari Atoll Vihamaafaru Northern Ari Atoll
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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.