Raa Atoll
Encyclopedia
Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll or Raa Atoll is an administrative division
from the Maldives
. The capital is Ungoofaaru. It includes Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll proper and the island of Alifushi.
1. Alifushi and Etthingili
(Powell Islands in the Admiralty Chart
) stand on a detached reef of their own with very deep waters (no sounding) between this faru and the northern end of the main atoll.
2. Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll is 35 miles (56.3 km) in length from N to S, and 15 miles (24.1 km) across at its broadest part. Its western fringe is composed of a series of round or oval reefs (farus) irregularly placed (a feature peculiar to all the larger Northern Atolls). The centre is heavily dotted with coral patches (giri), some submerged and some awash. The concentration of giri is especially dense towards its SW quarter, close to Kandholhudhu Island (where there is the place most crowded with small reefs and shoals in the whole Maldives), but its narrower northern end is quite clear of reefs. The general depths of the lagoon are from 23 to 27 fathom (42.1 to 49.4 ).
The capital of Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll is Ungoofaaru
. Recently, the island has been reclaimed up to the edge of the reef in order to provide land for social and economic activities for the growing population.
NOTE: Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa, Baa, Kaafu, etc. 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).
Alifushi, located at the northern end of the atoll, is an island which has been traditionally famous for its skilled boatbuilding carpenters. It now houses shipyards.
, an almost forgotten captain and draughtsman, who with much patience and hard work charted all the Atolls of the Maldives
.
The main tourist resort island on Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll is Meedhupparu
.
Administrative divisions of the Maldives
The Administrative Divisions of the Maldives refers to the various units of government that provide local government services in the Maldives. According to the Decentralization Act 2010, the administrative divisions of the Maldives would consist of atolls, islands, and cities; each administered by...
from 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 capital is Ungoofaaru. It includes Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll proper and the island of Alifushi.
Alifushi (Raa Atoll)
Alifushi is one of the inhabited islands of Raa Atoll.This island is renowned for its carpenters and boat builders.-Powell Islands:...
(Powell Islands in the Admiralty Chart
Admiralty chart
Admiralty charts are nautical charts issued by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office and subject to Crown Copyright. Over 3,000 charts are available and cover virtually the entire world in various levels of detail depending on the density of traffic and hazards...
) stand on a detached reef of their own with very deep waters (no sounding) between this faru and the northern end of the main atoll.
2. Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll is 35 miles (56.3 km) in length from N to S, and 15 miles (24.1 km) across at its broadest part. Its western fringe is composed of a series of round or oval reefs (farus) irregularly placed (a feature peculiar to all the larger Northern Atolls). The centre is heavily dotted with coral patches (giri), some submerged and some awash. The concentration of giri is especially dense towards its SW quarter, close to Kandholhudhu Island (where there is the place most crowded with small reefs and shoals in the whole Maldives), but its narrower northern end is quite clear of reefs. The general depths of the lagoon are from 23 to 27 fathom (42.1 to 49.4 ).
The capital of Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll is Ungoofaaru
Ungoofaaru (Raa Atoll)
Ungoofaaru is the capital of Northern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll.It is located on the Eastern rim of this atoll and is the location for Ungoofaaru Regional Hospital, the largest hospital in the Northern Province....
. Recently, the island has been reclaimed up to the edge of the reef in order to provide land for social and economic activities for the growing population.
NOTE: Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa, Baa, Kaafu, etc. are code letters assigned to the present administrative divisions of the Maldives. They are not the proper names of the natural atolls
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....
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
Thaana
Thaana, Taana or Tāna is the modern writing system of the Divehi language spoken in the Maldives. Taana has characteristics of both an abugida and a true alphabet , with consonants derived from indigenous and Arabic numerals, and vowels derived from the vowel diacritics of the Arabic abjad...
alphabet used in Dhivehi
Dhivehi language
Maldivian is an Indo-Aryan language predominantly spoken by about 350,000 people in the Maldives where it is the national language. It is also the first language of nearly 10,000 people in the island of Minicoy in the Union territory of Lakshadweep, India where the Mahl dialect of the Maldivian...
. 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).
Alifushi, located at the northern end of the atoll, is an island which has been traditionally famous for its skilled boatbuilding carpenters. It now houses shipyards.
Moresby Channel (Hanikandu)
Hanikandu is the channel between Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll and "Fasdhūtere" Atoll, beyond its southern border. This channel is also known as Moresby Channel in the honor of Robert MoresbyRobert Moresby
Robert Moresby was a distinguished captain of the British Royal Navy. He was also an excellent hydrographer, maritime surveyor and draughtsman....
, an almost forgotten captain and draughtsman, who with much patience and hard work charted all the Atolls of the 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....
.
Tourism
Formerly this atoll was off-limits for tourists, but since the late 1990s there was a change in government policy.The main tourist resort island on Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll is Meedhupparu
Meedhupparu
Meedhupparu is a coral island on the east of the Northern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll in the Maldives.Native wildlife consists mostly of crows, fruitbats, crabs and geckos....
.