Administrative divisions of the Maldives

During the presidency of Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, the administrative divisions consisted of 20 administrative atolls, all controlled by the central government in Malé.

In 2008, in an attempt of decentralization, the Nasheed government divided the country into seven provinces. According to this system, the bill submitted by the government to decentralize the country was passed with the support of opposition-majority parliament, with their amendments to the bill. The final bill passed in 2010 by the parliament and ratified by the president saw the country's decentralisation as 21 constituencies.

The seven provinces were the following, followed by the atolls grouped within:

• Upper North Province (consisting of Haa Alif, Haa Dhaalu and Shaviyani Atolls; capital: Kulhudhuffushi)
• North Province (consisting of Baa, Lhaviyani, Noonu and Raa Atolls; capital: Felivaru)
• North Central Province (consisting of Alif Alif, Alif Dhaal, Kaafu and Vaavu Atolls, and Malé City; capital: Thulusdhoo)
• Central Province (consisting of Dhaalu, Faafu and Meemu Atolls; capital: Kudahuvadhoo)
• South Central Province (consisting of Thaa and Laamu Atolls; capital: Gan)
• Upper South Province (consisting of Gaafu Alif and Gaafu Dhaalu Atolls; capital: Thinadhoo)
• South Province (consisting of Gnaviyani Atoll and Addu City; capital: Hithadhoo)

The seven provinces closely correspond to the historic divisions of Uthuru Boduthiladhunmathi. Dhekunu Boduthiladhunmathi, Uthuru Medhu-Raajje, Medhu-Raajje, Dhekunu Medhu-Raajje, Huvadhu (or Uthuru Suvadinmathi) and Addumulah (or Dhekunu Suvadinmathi).

On 15 October 2010, the government released a finalized list of the administrative constituencies established under the Decentralization Act. It listed 189 administrative constituencies. Out of these constituencies:

• 4 constituencies were declared "cities", as according to the criteria for determining cities in this act. These constituencies were Male', Fuvahmulah, Kulhudhuffushi and Seenu Atoll. After a referendum among the people, Seenu Atoll was renamed "Addu City". Each city would be served by a city council.
• 189 constituencies were declared "islands", as according to the criteria for determining islands in this act. These islands are grouped together into 17 atolls. Each atoll shall be served by an atoll council (which will be located on the capital island of the respective atoll), under which each island has its own island council.

Therefore, the final organization of the administrative divisions are as below:

• 17 atolls
• 4 cities
• 189 islands

Although the earlier provincial decentralization was rejected by Parliament, President Nasheed reinstated the concept through "National Administrations". The National Administrations of Maldives were in the same divisions as the earlier provinces, and the previous province offices were reinstated as the office of that National Administration, to which the atoll councils reported to accordingly. The National Administrations acted as an extension of the central government in Male' for the convenience of dealing with regional affairs. The National Administrations operated under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The seven National Administrations were:-

• Upper North National Administration
• North National Administration
• North Central National Administration
• Central National Administration
• South Central National Administration
• Upper South National Administration
• South National Administration

Each administration was headed by a state minister assigned by the president.

All 7 National Offices were abolished by the Waheed administration on 24 April 2012.[1]

On 5 February 2011, the country's first ever Local council elections were held to elect 188 island councils, 19 atoll councils and 2 city councils. The island of Felivaru, in Lhaviyani Atoll did not participate in the election, since being a newly declared inhabited island, did not have any person registered as a citizen of the island. As of May 2013, the island council election for Felivaru has yet to take place.

A city is an inhabited area with a population of 10,000+. The criteria also includes a certain level of economic development and facilities available. A city has a "city council" which governs over the affairs of the city, and keeps communication with the central government. A city will not be included within an administrative atoll. A city has further subdivisions called "wards" or "districts". A city council will also govern over any uninhabited islands or resort islands within its designated area. There are four cities in Maldives. They are Male', Addu, Fuvahmulah and Kulhudhuffushi.

The administrative definition of an "atoll" differs from the actual meaning of the word 'atoll'. While naturally, an "atoll" refers to a ring of islands, an "atoll" in the administrative sense, refers to a group of "island" class constituencies, not necessarily within the requirements of a natural atoll. While the majority of administrative atolls are indeed natural atolls, there are exceptions. Each administrative atoll has an "atoll council" which monitors the work of the "island councils" in the atoll, and keep communications with the central government. An atoll council also governs all uninhabited islands and resort islands in their area. There are 18 atolls in Maldives.

The administrative definition of an "island" differs from the actual meaning of the word 'island'. While naturally, an "island" refers to a land-mass surrounded by water, an "island" in the administrative sense, refers to a specified inhabited area within an administrative atoll, which is governed over by an "island council". While the majority of "island" class constituencies are indeed natural islands. There are 189 such islands, each with its own island council. (Except for Felivaru, Lhaviyani Atoll)