Hoarafushi (

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 ...

: ހޯރަފުށި ) is an inhabited island 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 ...

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

, and is geographically part of the Ihavandhippolhu Atoll. The island is famous for its scenic attractions. Hoarafushi Airport was established in 2020. It is an island-level administrative constituency governed by the Hoarafushi Island Council.

History

The island is named after the

great frigatebird The great frigatebird (''Fregata minor'') is a large seabird in the frigatebird family. There are major nesting populations in the tropical Pacific (including the Galapagos Islands) and Indian Oceans, as well as a tiny population in the South At ...

, known as the in

, which used to be seen there. According to the 1912 census, Hoarafushi was the fourth-largest locality in the Maldives, with a population of 1,811. The island used to be an educational hub. The people of Hoarafushi claim to have originated from Gudhanfushi, a vanished island adjacent to Huvahandhoo in the same reef. The population moved to Huvuhandhoo as Gudhanfushi

eroded Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as Surface runoff, water flow or wind) that removes soil, Rock (geology), rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust#Crust, Earth's crust, and then sediment transport, tra ...

away before moving onto Hoarafushi. In 2006 the inhabitants of Berinmadhoo were relocated to Hoarafushi.

Geography

Hoarafushi is located at the northern most Ihavandhippolhu Atoll. The island is situated within the largest fringing reef of Maldives extending over 22 km. Hoarafushi consist of 3 islands naturally joined the main island Hoarafushi adjacent to Bodufinolhu connected in the late (1700) and Kudafinolhu in (2013). The island has a land area of 105 hectares. 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 ...

Population

Education

The Hoarafushi island has 4 well known educational institutions. # H.a Atoll School (ހ.އ އަތޮޅު މަދަރުސާ), a government manipulated educational institution. (LKG to Grade 12) # Adam Saleem Hadhaanee Pre-school (އާދަމް ސަލީމް ހަދާނީ ޕްރީ ސްކޫލް), Private. (Kindergarten) # Thauleemul Bayaan (ތައުލީމުލް ބަޔާން), a private educational institution mainly focused on Qur'an Studies. # Novel Institute of Technology offers IT courses

References

External links

Isles Profile - Hoarafushi
{{Islands of the Maldives Islands of the Maldives