Bodufolhudhoo (

Dhivehi Dhivehi, also spelled Divehi, may refer to: *Dhivehi people, an ethnic group native to the historic region of the Maldive Islands. *Dhivehi language, an Indo-Aryan language predominantly spoken by about 350,000 people in the Republic of Maldives ...

: ބޮޑުފޮޅުދޫ) is one of the inhabited islands of

Alif Alif Atoll Alif Alif Atoll (also known as Northern Ari Atoll or Ari Atholhu Uthuruburi) 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 isolat ...

in the

Republic of Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

Geography

The island is west of the country's capital,

Malé Malé (, ; dv, މާލެ) is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives. With a population of 252,768 and an area of , it is also one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The city is geographically located at the southern ...

. Bodufolhudhoo is a small island located in the central area of North Ari Atoll and surrounded by many famous tourist resorts, including Nika Island Resort, Velidoo and Gangehi.

Ecology

Bodufolhudhoo is the first island in the Maldives to ban

single-use A disposable (also called disposable product) is a product designed for a single use after which it is recycled or is disposed as solid waste. The term is also sometimes used for products that may last several months (e.g. disposable air filter ...

plastic bag A plastic bag, poly bag, or pouch is a type of container made of thin, flexible, plastic film, nonwoven fabric, or plastic textile. Plastic bags are used for containing and transporting goods such as foods, produce, powders, ice, magazines, c ...

Demography

Economy

Bodufolhudhoo's economy has been based mostly on fishing until the early 1990s. The current economy is mainly supported by people working in the tourism industry. There are a few tourist shops on the island for the guests who come island hopping from nearby resorts. Bodufolhudhoo now boasts over five operating guesthouses with many guest houses under development. The island council has designated a private beach (Sunset beach) specifically for the visiting tourists. Employment is predominantly provided by nearby resorts, however island employment may also be found in education, island council, health centre, utilities, shops, restaurants and guesthouses.

Healthcare

There is a health centre in the island to provide basic health care service to the community. The health centre has a medical officer and two registered nurses and nearly 15 staff members.

Transport

As Bodufolhudhoo is an island surrounded by sea, transport is mainly water based. There are speed boats and normal boats that people use for transport between the islands. Larger vessels are used to travel to and from the capital Male' and for faster transport residents use a seaplane service from the nearby resorts. Fishermen will use purpose-built fishing vessels to catch fish from the open sea. The government ferry system was introduced in 2012, whereby boats became available to travel between the islands at a cheaper fare. People mostly walk on the island, but may also use bicycles and motorbikes to travel from one place to another. Wheelbarrow "gaadiyaa" in different sizes are used to transport heavy materials. In the early 1990s a nationwide helicopter service was provided by Hummingbird. To this day the helipad used by Hummingbird exists in Bodufolhudhoo.

References

*http://www.worldtravelguide.net/maldives/weather-climate-geography

External links

https://web.archive.org/web/20180924104342/http://bodufolhudhoo.com/ (does not appear operational) Islands of the Maldives Alif Alif Atoll {{Maldives-geo-stub