Dhidhdhoo (
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
...
: ދިއްދޫ) is the capital of
Haa Alif Atoll
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 ( Maldivian: ''Thiladhunmathi Uthuruburi'') in the Maldives.
It is ...
in the
Maldives
Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...
. Ranked the 2nd most populated place in the north after Kulhudhuffushi City. Located in the center of the atoll, Dhidhdhoo is governed by Dhidhdhoo Island Council under the Local Government Authority. This island is famous for having the least crime rates amongst the 10 most populated islands in the nation consecutively for a number of years.
Education
Ha.Atoll Education Centre ( HA.AEC) is located in Dhidhdhoo and is the biggest educational institution in the atoll. Currently 993 students are studying here. Primary, secondary and higher secondary classes are conducted in this educational facility.
Apart from this, the island has a pre-school and the first Junior college in the nation will be located in Dhidhdhoo. The college will be open for public early next year with an accommodation block for temporary residents.
History
Historically, the island was uninhabited and was under the administration of Utheemu Gadhuvaru, a royal house in
Utheemu
Utheemu ( dv, އުތީމު) is one of the inhabited islands of Haa Alif Atoll administrative division and geographically part of Thiladhummathi Atoll in the north of the Maldives. It is an island-level administrative constituency governed by t ...
. The island was inhabited around the 19th century when the people of
Dhonakulhi left their island to escape from the invasion of pirates from
Malabar
Malabar may refer to the following:
People
* Malabars, people originating from the Malabar region of India
* Malbars or Malabars, people of Tamil origin in Réunion
Places
* Malabar Coast, or Malabar, a region of the southwestern shoreline o ...
.
During the administration of President
Mohamed Amin Didi
Sumuvvul Ameer Mohamed Amin Dhoshimeynaa Kilegefaanu (Dhivehi: ސުމުއްވުލް އަމީރު މުހައްމަދު އަމީން ދޮށިމޭނާ ކިލެގެފާނު) (July 20, 1910 – January 19, 1954), popularly known as Mohamed Amin Didi ...
, Dhidhdhoo refused to take part in the 'Uthuru Gadubadu', an uprising of the people of the northern atolls against the Amin Didi regime.
Geography
The island is north 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 ...
. The island lies on the north western tip of
Thiladhunmathi Atoll and is separated from the Ihavandhippolhu Atoll by the deep Gallandhoo Kandu channel.
Demography
Governance
Dhidhdhoo Council is the
local government
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
body responsible for the governance of the island Dhidhdhoo. The council was created in 2011, with the enactment of the Decentralization Bill, which saw the introduction of local governance to the country.
The majority of councilors, elected in the country's second local council elections in 2014, is from the PPM. The third local election was held in 2017, that elected 5 members due to an amendment to Local Councils Laws. All five members were from Maldives Democratic Party (MDP)
Culture
People of Dhidhdhoo has strong family relation with Minicoy Island of India (Maliku). This is evident even today as there are several Maliku families in Dhidhdhoo who carry the name of Maliku as their family name.
Among the dishes, Hithi (Hichaa bai) is one of the most special dish in Dhidhdhoo and mostly served during the month of Ramazaan. Like Hithi, Bondu is also a very popular candy prepared by people of Dhidhdhoo.
References
External links
Isles Profile - Dhidhdhoo
Islands of the Maldives
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