Felidhu Atoll
Felidhu Atoll (also, Felidhe Atoll) is a natural atoll of the Maldives.
Vaavu Atoll | |
---|---|
Country | Maldives |
Corresponding geographic atoll(s) | Felidhu Atoll |
Location | 3° 41' N and 3° 13' N |
Capital | Felidhoo |
Government | |
• Atoll Chief | Ali Rasheed Abdul Rahman |
Population | |
• Total | 2,144 |
Letter code | J |
Dhivehi letter code | V (ވ) |
• Number of islands | 19 |
• Inhabited islands | Felidhoo Fulidhoo Keyodhoo Rakeedhoo Thinadhoo |
• Uninhabited islands | Aarah, Alimathaa, Anbaraa, Bodumohoraa, Dhiggiri, Foiytheyobodufushi, Fussfaruhuraa, Hingaahuraa, Hulhidhoo, Kuda-anbaraa, Kudhiboli, Kunavashi, Maafussaru, Medhugiri, Thunduhuraa, Raggadu, Ruhhurihuraa, Vashugiri, Vattaru (in a separate atoll of its own) |
Resort islands(*), airports(¤) and industrial islands are also considered uninhabited. |
It is the least populated administrative atoll.
This atoll is located 40 mi (35 nmi; 64 km) from the capital Malé, 90 minutes by speedboat and 5 hours by slow boat.
The Vaavu Atoll administrative division includes two geographical atolls; Felidhu Atoll and the small egg-shaped Vattaru Reef, which has only one little islet and is 6 mi (9 km) in diameter.
The easternmost geographical point of the Maldives is located at Foiytheyo Muli, close to Foiytheyobodufushi Island. This is thought to be the least visited island in the whole of Maldives being at the far eastern extremity and 17 mi (15 nmi; 27 km) from the nearest inhabited island of Keyodhoo.[1]
No remains from the Buddhist period have been found on this atoll. However the island of Thinadhoo was famous for its old coral stone mosque noted for its fine masonry and woodcarvings comparable to those glorified by Thor Heyerdahl in Kudahuvadhoo. It was destroyed in the 1980s for building material and all that remains are four solid coral pillars that rest in the island school yard.
References
- Romero-Frias, Xavier. The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom
- Divehi Tārīkhah Au Alikameh. Divehi Bahāi Tārikhah Khidmaiykurā Qaumī Markazu. Reprint 1958 edn. Malé 1990.
- Divehiraajjege Jōgrafīge Vanavaru. Muhammadu Ibrahim Lutfee. G.Sōsanī.
- Romero-Frias, Xavier. The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom. Barcelona 1999.