26 Atolls Of Maldives
Cyrille Mixtapes
Some atolls are in the form of a number of islands by time and in the form of isolated reefs, which could be classified as smaller atoll formations. All land above the surface in the Maldives is of coralline origin. The atolls of the Maldives form a quite regular chain and, especially in the northern and central atolls, an arrayed structure is apparent. There are broad and deep channels between some atolls.[1] The origin of the word "atoll" itself is in the language of the Maldives. "Atoll" (from Dhivehi: atholhu) is now used in many languages worldwide.[2]
Traditionally, Maldivians call the atolls ending in '-madulu' or '-mathi' by their name without adding the word "Atoll" at the end. For example, it is correct to write simply Kolhumadulhu, without adding the word 'Atholhu' at the end. This is also the case in the atoll known as Faadhippolhu.
These Admiralty charts were printed as three separate large maps by the Hydrographic Service of the Royal Navy. Although they contain a few errors, Moresby's charts were so good that they were favoured by Maldivian pilots navigating through the treacherous waters of their atolls until the 1990s.
Nowadays there are more accurate maps of the Maldives based on satellite surveys. However, Maldivian navigators still claim that Captain Moresby's charts provide a wealth of data that the modern maps do not give. At the time that they were drawn, the maps of the Maldives were deemed of such high quality that they were inspected personally by Queen Victoria.[3] Even today in some atolls, the modern day marine GPS can be inaccurate. The GPS mapping may indicate reef where it does not exist and does not show other reefs where they are located.
Owing to the many beautiful diving grounds of the numerous atolls of the Maldives, this country has been marketed as a prime destination for scuba divers worldwide.Hence, during the last couple of decades many guides and maps of the best diving spots have been published and some of them are very accurate and give a wide array of useful hints.
The list below are the names of the geographical or natural atolls and single islands of the Maldives archipelago, going from north to south, together with a brief description. Included in the description are the administrative divisions which they belong to.
It has 25 islands lying all around the boundary reef. One long barrier reef forms the western side of the atoll. There are several coral patches in the lagoon and the general depth in the centre is 20 to 30 fathoms (35 to 55 m).
Boduthiladhunmathi Atoll (Tiladummati in the Admiralty Charts) is the largest of the Maldives atolls and the world's largest atoll (not taking into account the mostly submerged Great Chagos Bank and Saya de Malha Bank). It is very open, a typical atoll without a clearly delimited lagoon.
The western boundary has fewer islands but more isolated reefs or micro-atolls (called faru in Maldivian), with wide passages between them. The German explorer Hans Hass observed the formation of this phenomenon called "micro-atoll" by Porites corals in the Maldives. Its lagoon has few shoals but many large faru, often topped with islands. The average depth is from 18 to 24 fathoms (33 m to 44 m).
The Miladhunmadulu group is also naturally a part of Thiladhunmati Atoll, comprising the southern half of the atoll. The length of this part of the atoll is 81 kilometres (50 miles) and it contains 101 islands.
The general depth of the centre of this part is 20 to 25 fathoms (37 m to 46 m) and the bottom is sandy. Along its western edges there are not many islands but more detached reefs with shallow lagoons (called vilu in Maldivian) which seldom exceed 10 fathoms (18 m) in depth.
Administratively, Thiladhunmathi Atoll together with the Miladhunmadulu group are divided among four administrative divisions, namely North Thiladhunmathi (Haa Alifu) Atoll, South Thiladhunmathi (Haa Dhaalu) Atoll, North Miladhunmadulu (Shaviyani) Atoll and South Miladhunmadulu (Noonu) Atoll.
Māmakunudhoo Atoll or Makunudhoo (Malcolm Atoll in the Admiralty Chart) is the westernmost atoll in the Maldives. A large reef with lagoon, 27 kilometres (17 miles) long with and average breadth of 5 kilometres (3.1 miles). It has only one inhabited island, Makunudhoo and three other islands (namely Innafushi, Fenboahuraa and Dhipparufushi) and it lies 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) west of the NW part of the Miladhummadulhu group. It is said to have been unknown to non-Maldivians previous to the 1834-36 survey of the Maldives. According to the locals, many ships have been lost on its barren reefs with crew, cargo and all. These include the Persia Merchant (August, 1658), Hayston (July, 1891), George Reid (September, 1872) and many more. Owing to the violence of the surf and the perpendicular sides of the reef scarcely a vestige of the wreck remains after a few hours. The lagoon is quite deep but it is full of coral patches.
Etthingili Alifushi Atoll consists of two islands, Alifushi and Etthingili (also known as Kalhifushi), known as 'The Powell Islands' in the Admiralty Chart. The islands stand on a detached reef of their own with very deep waters (no sounding) between this reef and the northern end of the main Atoll. The length of this atoll is 2 miles (3.2 kilometres) with a width of 1 mile (1.6 kilometres). Today, of the two islands, only Alifushi is inhabited.
Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi (Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll) is 71 kilometres (44 miles) in length from N to S, and 26 kilometres (16 miles) 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 Kandholhudhoo 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 fathoms (42 to 49 m).
Fasdhūtherē Atoll. Sandwiched between two atolls, the northern part of South Maalhosmadulu forms a clearly delimited, roughly triangular, natural atoll without a distinctive name (Fasdhūtherē merely means 'between five islands'). It is 22 kilometres (14 miles) in length from east to west. It has 11 islands with the only inhabited island being Kudarikilu Island on its SE corner just opposite Landaa Giraavaru Island of Southern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll. Its lagoon becomes narrower towards the west and its average depth is 19 fathoms (35 m). It is separated from North Maalhosmadulhu by a deep channel (known as Moresby Channel in the Admiralty Chart and Hani Kandu locally) and from the southern part of Southern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll by the narrow Geydhoshu Kandu (also known as Ge'aa'badhigedheytherey Kandu) running from east to west.
Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi (Southern Maalhosmadulu Atoll) has many large farus on its western side. Its maximum length is 48 kilometres (30 miles). The inner lagoons (vilu) present an idyllic view. The depth of their waters is not more than a few meters, with perhaps a few coral heads awash. Its eastern fringe is a succession of separate, quite regular, oval reefs with some islands. The interior of the lagoon has also large faru towards its southern half. The average depth is from 24 to 27 fathoms (44 to 49 m).
Goidhu Atoll or Goifulhafehendhu Atoll ( 'Horsburgh Atoll' in the Admiralty Chart) is separated from South Maalhosmadulhu by a 10-kilometre-broad (6.2 mi) channel. This atoll is oval in shape and small, its greatest length being 15.5 kilometres (9.6 miles). It is composed of 7 islands, 3 of which are inhabited. The inner lagoon has a depth of 17 to 20 fathoms (31 to 37 m); it has a sandy bottom mixed with mud and clay. Unlike the lagoons of most small atolls of the Maldives, this lagoon is free from coral heads in its centre.
Faadhippolhu Atoll (better known as Lhaviyani Atoll) is a smaller atoll with a well-defined barrier reef to the east, on which the NE monsoon (iruvai) breaks with violence. Its western side has farus and reef patches. There are about 52 islands, of which only 5 are inhabited.The lagoon is fairly open and its general depths are from 25 to 30 fathoms (about 50 m). Its bottom is sandy and there are a number of coral patches and sunken reefs dotting it, except for the south-eastern side.
Kaashidhu Atoll, lies towards the eastern end of the channel to which it gives its name ('Kardiva Channel' in the Admiralty Chart). This atoll had two islands namely Kaashidhoo and Kaashidhoo Huraa from which only Kaashidhoo exists today. Kaashidhoo is surrounded by deep waters and there is generally heavy surf all around. The Atoll has an oval-shaped lagoon (vilu) with a narrow fringing reef on its NW side.
Male'atholhu Uthuruburi also known as North Mal Atoll is of irregular shape. It is 58 kilometres (36 miles) long and contains about 50 islands (including the capital Mal). There are also sandbanks, coral patches, innumerable farus and submerged shoals (called "haa" in Dhivehi). The general depths of the interior are between 25 and 35 fathoms (46 to 64 m). The bottom is sandy. There are numerous passages on all sides. Seen from space it is considered one of the most beautiful atolls on the planet.
Male'atholhu Dhekunuburi also known as South Mal Atoll is separated from North Mal Atoll by a deep channel (Vaadhu Kandu). Oblong in shape, this atoll is 35 kilometres (22 miles) in length. It contains 22 islands, all except for 5 are situated in its eastern fringes. Inside this atoll there are also many reefs and little coral patches which make navigation difficult. The general depths of the lagoon are from 25 to 32 fathoms (46 to 59 m), sandy bottom. South of the atoll lies the deep Fulidhoo Kandu.
4a15465005