Maldives is an island country in the Indian Ocean, South Asia, south-southwest of India. It has a total land size of 298 km2 (115 sq mi) which makes it the smallest country in Asia. It consists of approximately 1,190 coral islands grouped in a double chain of 26 atolls, spread over roughly 90,000 square kilometers, making this one of the most geographically dispersed countries in the world. It has the 31st largest exclusive economic zone of 923,322 km2 (356,497 sq mi). Composed of live coral reefs and sand bars, the atolls are situated atop a submarine ridge, 960 km (600 mi) long that rises abruptly from the depths of the Indian Ocean and runs from north to south. Only near the southern end of this natural coral barricade do two open passages permit safe ship navigation from one side of the Indian Ocean to the other through the territorial waters of Maldives. For administrative purposes the Maldives government organized these atolls into twenty-one administrative divisions.
Noonu Atoll is an administrative division of the Maldives corresponding to the southern section of Miladhunmadulu Atoll. The capital is Manadhoo. Total population of Noonu Atoll is around 10,000 people.
Baa Atoll is an administrative division of the Maldives. It consists of three separate natural atolls, namely southern Maalhosmadulu Atoll, the Fasdūtherē Atoll and the smaller natural atoll known as Goifulhafehendhu Atoll.
Lhaviyani Atoll is an administrative division of the Maldives. Its abbreviation is Lh.
Alif Alif Atoll 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.
Alifu Dhaalu Atoll is an administrative division of the Maldives.
Vaavu Atoll is an administrative division of the Maldives, comprising the natural atolls of Felidhu Atoll and the Vattaru Reef.
Gaafu Dhaalu is an administrative district of the Maldives formed by the southwestern section of Huvadhu Atoll. It was created on February 8, 1962 when Huvadhu Atoll was divided into two districts. Gaafu Dhaalu corresponds to the Southwestern section of this large natural atoll, south of the line extending between the channels of Footukandu and Vaarulu Kandu. The capital of this region is Thinadhoo. There are 153 islands in this district, 10 of which are inhabited. This district is located about 340 kilometers south of the capital Malé.
Feeali is one of the inhabited islands of Faafu Atoll.
Kolhufushi is one of the inhabited islands of Meemu Atoll.
Raimmandhoo or Raiymandhoo is one of the inhabited islands of Meemu Atoll.
Maalhos is one of the inhabited islands of Ari Atoll, belonging to the Alif Alif Atoll administrative division.
Funadhoo is one of the inhabited islands of the Shaviyani Atoll administrative division and geographically part of the Miladhummadulhu Atoll in the Maldives. Funadhoo is a very common Maldivian place name and is derived from the Dhivehi name for the tree Calophyllum inophyllum which grows on the shores of some islands. It is the administrative capital of Shaviyani Atoll.
Thuraakunu is the northernmost island in Maldives, one of the fourteen inhabited islands of Haa Alif Atoll and is geographically part of the Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the Maldives. It is an island-level administrative constituency governed by the Thuraakunu Island Council.
Filitheyo is an island in the Faafu Atoll. It is also home of one of the newer resorts in the Maldives; as of March 2021, Filitheyo Island Resort is the only resort operating in the Faafu Atoll, but three islands have since been leased for tourism development. Launched in 1999, the resort consists of 125 guest bungalows along with a main restaurant, two bars, a Thai spa and a dive school. In May 2022, the resort was cited by the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority for having not paid their dues to the state as rent for resort islands.
Kalpeni is an inhabited Atoll in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India. It has a distance of 287 km (178 mi) west of the city of Kochi.
Nilandhoo is the capital of Faafu Atoll, a region with five inhabited islands. It is the largest and most populated island in the region, and includes historical sites such as foah'mathi and Aasaari Miskiy and a school. Foah'mathi is a historical site with a Buddhist temple under it, while Aasaari Miskiy is the second mosque built in the Maldives.
Southern Maalhosmadulu Atoll is an administrative division of the Maldives. It consists of two separate natural atolls, namely the southern part of Maalhosmadulhu Atoll and the smaller natural atoll known as Goifulhafehendhu Atoll. Situated on the west of the Maldives atoll chain, it consists of 75 islands of which 13 are inhabited with a population of over 11,000 people. The remaining 57 islands are uninhabited, in addition to five islands being developed as resorts. Thulhaadhoo Island is traditionally well known for its lacquerwork handicrafts.
Haa Alif Atoll is the code name based on the letters of the Maldivian alphabet commonly used to refer to the administrative division officially known as North Thiladhunmathi Atoll in the Maldives.
Landaa Giraavaru, often called Four Seasons at Landaagiraavaru, is an island in the Baa Atoll in the Maldives. Home to a luxury Four Seasons resort since 2004 with rates from USD $1,400 per night, it is one of the many island resorts of the Maldives.
