Channels of the Maldives
Encyclopedia
There are broad channels between the Atolls of the Maldives
known locally as 'kandu'. The deepness and broadness of the channels vary from channel to channel. There are 20 major channels of the Maldives. They are:
(Maliku in Dhivehi) and Ihavandippolhu (Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll
) in the north of the Maldives
. The name is given after the Malabar
merchant Maamaley Marakkaaru who controlled most of the sea trade along this route before the arrival of the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean. The international maritime boundary
between the Maldives and India
runs through the channel.
In the British Admiralty charts it is called Eight Degree Channel. It is so named as it lies on the 8-degree line of Latitude
, north of the equator
. Another local name for this channel is Addigiri Kandu.
This channel appeared in old French maps with the name Courant de Malicut.
(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.
Nowadays Minicoy is a part of India
and communication between Minicoy and Maldives by sea is highly restricted.
from the southern atolls.
This channel lies between Haddhunmathi Atoll
and Huvadhu Atoll and it is one of the broadest channels between the atolls of Maldives.
In the British Admiralty charts it is called One and a Half Degree Channel. On old French maps it appeared as Courant de Souadou.
Sperm whales are a common sight on the surface of the Suvadiva Channel.
In the middle of the vast emptiness of the Huvadu channel there is a small bank known as Medutila (also called Derahaa). This place is the peak of a submarine mountain, and perhaps an atoll in the process of formation. This submerged bank is very difficult to spot for at its shallowest point there is a depth of 6 fathoms (11 m). It looks like a paler blue patch surrounded by huge expanses of the deepest ocean. There, no island can be seen in the horizon for many dozens of miles.
in the south of Maldives
.
In the British Admiralty charts it is called Equatorial Channel because the Equator
passes through the upper part of the channel.
With Addu Kandu the Equatorial Channel divides to form another important channel named Mulah Kandu. Geographically Addu Kandu and Mulah Kandu are one. But as Fuvahmulah lies north-east of Addu Atoll and more southwards from the center of the channel it's the part of the channel between Fuvahmulah and Addu Atoll which is considered Mulah Kandu.
This channel appeared in old French maps with the name Courant de Addoue.
.
Addu Kandu and Mulah Kandu are geographically one channel. But because Fuvahmulah lies north-east of Addu Atoll
, the part of the channel in between Fuvahmulah and Addu Atoll
is considered as Mulah Kandu by Geographers. The part of the channel in between Huvadhu Atoll and Addu Atoll
with no barrier is considered as Addu Kandu. Both the channel divisions together are known as the Equatorial Channel because the Equator lies between Huvadhu Atoll and Fuvahmulah.
Mulah Kandu is one of the deepest and roughest channel in the Maldives. The island of Fuvahmulah lies in this channel and the channel continues to the eastern tip of Addu Atoll Meedhoo Koagannu Faru.
Fuvahmulah in the Mulah Kandu is the first atoll of Maldives in the Southern Hemisphere and the nearest atoll to the equator. Being so close to the Equator makes Mulah Kandu among the roughest channels in Maldives due to the high pressure winds evolving in the Equator. As a result, Fuvahmulah was often inaccessible to seafarers and travelers in the past. Today even, with the absence of an airport in Fuvahmulah people find it difficult travelling to this island by sea transport in the so called roughest sea experienced in modern Maldives.
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....
known locally as 'kandu'. The deepness and broadness of the channels vary from channel to channel. There are 20 major channels of the Maldives. They are:
- Māmalē Kandu - Eight Degree Channel
- Ihavandhoo Kandu (Gallandhoo Kandu)
- Baraveli Kandu
- Kaashidhoo Bodu Kandu
- Kaashidhoo Kuda Kandu
- Hani Kandu (Kagi Kandu)
- Dheburidheytherey Kandu (Moresby Channel)
- Geydhoshu Kandu (Between Fasdhoothere and Baa Atoll)
- Vaadhoo Kandu
- Alihuras Kandu
- Fulidhoo Kandu
- Ariadhoo Kandu
- Vattaru Uthuru Kandu
- Vattaru Dhekunu Kandu
- Fushi Kandu (Hani Kandu)
- Kudahuvadhoo Kandu (Ali Kandu / Alihuras Kandu)
- Veymandoo Kandu (Haddhoo Kandu)
- Huvadhu Kandu - One and Half Degree Channel
- Addu Kandu - Equatorial Channel
- Mulah Kandu
Māmalē Kandu
Māmalē Kandu (also known as Maliku Kandu) Divehi is the broad Minicoy Channel between MinicoyMaliku Atoll
Maliku Atoll or Minicoy Atoll is the southernmost atoll of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It is located 201 km to the SSW of Kalpeni, at the southern end of the Nine Degree Channel and 125 km to the north of Thuraakunu, Maldives, at the northern end of the Eight Degree Channel. The...
(Maliku in Dhivehi) and Ihavandippolhu (Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll
Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll
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...
) in the north 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...
. The name is given after the Malabar
Malabars
Malabars is an appellation originating from the colonial era that was used by Westerners to refer to all the people of South India...
merchant Maamaley Marakkaaru who controlled most of the sea trade along this route before the arrival of the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean. The international maritime boundary
Maritime boundary
Maritime boundary is a conceptual means of division of the water surface of the planet into maritime areas that are defined through surrounding physical geography or by human geography. As such it usually includes areas of exclusive national rights over the mineral and biological resources,...
between the Maldives and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
runs through the channel.
In the British Admiralty charts it is called Eight Degree Channel. It is so named as it lies on the 8-degree line of Latitude
8th parallel north
The 8th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 8 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, the Indian Ocean, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Ocean, Central America, South America and the Atlantic Ocean....
, north of the equator
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
. Another local name for this channel is Addigiri Kandu.
This channel appeared in old French maps with the name Courant de Malicut.
History
Traditionally the Northermost atoll of the Maldives was MinicoyMinicoy
Minicoy, locally known as Maliku is a census town in the Indian union territory of Lakshadweep and was formerly a part of Maldive Islands.-Etymology:...
(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.
Nowadays Minicoy is a part of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and communication between Minicoy and Maldives by sea is highly restricted.
Ihavandhoo Kandu
The channel between Ihavandhippolhu and Thiladhunmathi Atolls.Baraveli Kandu
The channel between Noonu Atoll, Lhaviyani Atoll; Noonu Atoll and Raa AtollKaashidhoo Bodu Kandu
The channel between Faadhippolhu and Kaashidhoo.Kaashidhoo Kuda Kandu
Due to the island of Kaashidhoo being south of the in between of Lhaviyani Atoll Aligau and Gaafaru Falhu the main Kaashidhoo Kandu divides into two parts. From the two parts, Kuda Kaashidhoo Kandu is the channel south of Kaashidhoo island.Hani Kandu
The channel in between Kaafu Atoll Gaafaru and North Male' Atoll.Dheburidheytherey Kandu
The narrow channel between Raa Atoll and Baa Atoll (Fasdhoothere).Geydhoshu Kandu
The narrow and deep channel in between Fasdhoothere and Souther Maalhosmadulu Atoll.Vaadhoo Kandu
The channel between North Male' Atoll and South Male' Atoll.Alihuras Kandu
The channel in between Vaavu Atoll and Meemu Atoll from the eastern set of atolls and Ari Atoll and Nilandhe Atoll from the western set.Fulidhoo Kandu
The channel to the south of South Male' Atoll and to the north of Vaavu Atoll.Vattaru-uthuru Kandu
The channel between the tip of the Meemu Atoll Raiymandhoo 'Muli' and the reef of 'Fohtheufalhu'.Vattaru-dhekunu Kandu
The channel between Meemu Atoll and Vattaru Falhu.Kudahuvadhoo Kandu
The channel in between Kolhumadulu, Meemu Atoll and Dhaalu Atoll.Huvadhu Kandu
Huvadhu Kandu or Suvadiva Channel is the broad channel that separates the northern and central MaldivesMaldives
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...
from the southern atolls.
This channel lies between Haddhunmathi Atoll
Haddhunmathi Atoll
Haddhunmathi or Haddummati Atoll is an administrative division of the Maldives. It corresponds to the natural atoll of the same name.It is mostly rimmed by barrier reefs, the broadest of which are topped by islands...
and Huvadhu Atoll and it is one of the broadest channels between the atolls of Maldives.
In the British Admiralty charts it is called One and a Half Degree Channel. On old French maps it appeared as Courant de Souadou.
Sperm whales are a common sight on the surface of the Suvadiva Channel.
In the middle of the vast emptiness of the Huvadu channel there is a small bank known as Medutila (also called Derahaa). This place is the peak of a submarine mountain, and perhaps an atoll in the process of formation. This submerged bank is very difficult to spot for at its shallowest point there is a depth of 6 fathoms (11 m). It looks like a paler blue patch surrounded by huge expanses of the deepest ocean. There, no island can be seen in the horizon for many dozens of miles.
Addu Kandu
Addu Kandu is the traditional name of the broad channel between Huvadhu Atoll and Addu AtollAddu Atoll
Addu City is a city in Maldives consisting of the inhabited islands of the southernmost atoll of the archipelago....
in the south of 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...
.
In the British Admiralty charts it is called Equatorial Channel because the Equator
Equator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
passes through the upper part of the channel.
With Addu Kandu the Equatorial Channel divides to form another important channel named Mulah Kandu. Geographically Addu Kandu and Mulah Kandu are one. But as Fuvahmulah lies north-east of Addu Atoll and more southwards from the center of the channel it's the part of the channel between Fuvahmulah and Addu Atoll which is considered Mulah Kandu.
This channel appeared in old French maps with the name Courant de Addoue.
Mulah Kandu
Mulah Kandu is the channel between Fuvahmulah and Addu AtollAddu Atoll
Addu City is a city in Maldives consisting of the inhabited islands of the southernmost atoll of the archipelago....
.
Addu Kandu and Mulah Kandu are geographically one channel. But because Fuvahmulah lies north-east of Addu Atoll
Addu Atoll
Addu City is a city in Maldives consisting of the inhabited islands of the southernmost atoll of the archipelago....
, the part of the channel in between Fuvahmulah and Addu Atoll
Addu Atoll
Addu City is a city in Maldives consisting of the inhabited islands of the southernmost atoll of the archipelago....
is considered as Mulah Kandu by Geographers. The part of the channel in between Huvadhu Atoll and Addu Atoll
Addu Atoll
Addu City is a city in Maldives consisting of the inhabited islands of the southernmost atoll of the archipelago....
with no barrier is considered as Addu Kandu. Both the channel divisions together are known as the Equatorial Channel because the Equator lies between Huvadhu Atoll and Fuvahmulah.
Mulah Kandu is one of the deepest and roughest channel in the Maldives. The island of Fuvahmulah lies in this channel and the channel continues to the eastern tip of Addu Atoll Meedhoo Koagannu Faru.
Fuvahmulah in the Mulah Kandu is the first atoll of Maldives in the Southern Hemisphere and the nearest atoll to the equator. Being so close to the Equator makes Mulah Kandu among the roughest channels in Maldives due to the high pressure winds evolving in the Equator. As a result, Fuvahmulah was often inaccessible to seafarers and travelers in the past. Today even, with the absence of an airport in Fuvahmulah people find it difficult travelling to this island by sea transport in the so called roughest sea experienced in modern Maldives.