Hithadhoo (
Dhivehi: ހިތަދޫ) is a district of
Addu City
Addu City (local administrative code Seenu) is a city in Maldives that consists of the inhabited islands of Addu Atoll, the southernmost atoll of the archipelago. Addu City is the second-largest urban area in Maldives, in terms of population, an ...
, 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 ...
. Hithadhoo is the main administrative district of Addu City, with many of the administrative buildings in this district. The town is situated on the island of the same name, the westernmost of
Addu Atoll (previously known as Seenu Atoll). In terms of population count, Hithadhoo is home to the largest population in Addu City. According to the 2014 Census, with 11,129 residents,
Hithadhoo also has the largest population of any administrative island in Maldives, a category that excludes the much larger national 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 ...
.
Geography
The island is south 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 ...
. Hithadhoo is
the second largest island in the Maldives, with a surface area of . It has a length of and a width of at its widest point.
The part of the island south of the town is lushly vegetated with palms and
shrubs, whilst the northern end of the island consists of a partially stony, unreal
scrubland, which can be explored only on narrow trails. Hithadhoo Town is marked by dusty roads, narrow lanes, leaning houses and dense vegetation. Island traffic is generally quite colourful, particularly when hundreds of island school children dressed in a multitude of differently coloured
school uniforms are queueing up for the bus.
Population
According to the 2014 census, Hithadhoo has a population of some 11,129 residents,
and is the second largest settlement in Maldives. The local dialect of
Dhivehi,
Addu Bas, is spoken by most of the people who live here. Addu Bas is closely related to dialects spoken on nearby atolls. It is also the second most spoken dialect in the whole Maldives.
Economy
Youth (15–20) Unemployment Rate is at a high 46% (37% Male: 54% Female) and Proportion of population having telephone is 96%.
Hithadhoo - Inhabited Island - Seenu Atoll
isles.egov.mv
Services
Education
Hithadhoo has a number of educational institutions; 3 kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th ce ...
s (nursery schools), three primary and three secondary schools as well as a college. Most Hithadhoo residents complete their education up to Ordinary Level
The O-Level (Ordinary Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education. It was introduced in place of the School Certificate in 1951 as part of an educational reform alongside the more in-depth ...
on the island itself, whilst a few options to continue their studies in Malé or abroad. A certain number of youngsters from neighbouring islands, mainly from Maradhoo
Maradhoo ( Dhivehi: މަރަދޫ) is one of the inhabited islands of the Addu Atoll (also known as Seenu Atoll).
Overview
Maradhoo is located in the middle of the island chain on the Western side of Addu City. To the North are Hankede follow ...
, Maradhoo-Feydhoo
Maradhoo-Feydhoo ( Dhivehi: މަރަދޫފޭދޫ) is a district of Addu City, in the Maldives. The district borders the district of Maradhoo to the north, as they both share the same natural island, and the district of Feydhoo to the south. A ...
, and Feydhoo attend sharafuddin School, a secondary school on Hithadhoo, to complete their O-level studies. Several students from other atolls like Fuvahmulah attend secondary schools on Hithadhoo in order to have a better education than can be had on their home islands.
Healthcare
The government has provided the residents with a hospital. This hospital has a regional function and provides around-the-clock care. Most residents of neighbouring islands visit Hithadhoo Regional Hospital to receive treatment for their ailments. People from atolls and islands further afield, such as Fuvammulah and Huvadhu Atoll also occasionally visit to receive medical treatment, although most opt for hospitals in the Southern India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n state of Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
which provides a much wider range of facilities than available in Maldives.
Apart from this, there are some private clinics lik
Eye Care Clinic
Eye Care is a reputed private organization in Maldives for its quality service with qualified Ophthalmologists and Optometrists and branded items. It is the largest eye-care provider in Maldives with its six outlets in different parts of the country including the one in S. Hithadhoo.
See also
* Hithadhoo (Laamu Atoll)
* Abdullah Afeef
References
External links
Addu tourist board site
Addu Atoll Pictures
{{Islands of the Maldives
Populated places in the Maldives
Addu Atoll