Southern Maalhosmadulu Atoll

Southern Maalhosmadulu Atoll (code name Baa) is an administrative division of the Maldives. It consists of two separate natural atolls, namely the southern part of Maalhosmadulhu Atoll (which is 42 km long and 32 km wide and consists of 10 inhabited islands) and the smaller natural atoll known as Goifulhafehendhu Atoll (Horsburgh Atoll in the Admiralty charts). Situated on the west of the Maldives atoll chain, it consists of 75 islands of which 13 are inhabited with a population of over 11,000 people. The remaining 57 islands are uninhabited, in addition to five islands being developed as resorts. Thulhaadhoo Island is traditionally well known for its lacquerwork handicrafts.

Baa Atoll
CountryMaldives
Corresponding geographic atoll(s)Maalhosmadulu
Location5° 23' N and 4° 49' N
CapitalEydhafushi
Government
 • Atoll ChiefMohamed Mahir
Population
 • Total11,910
Letter code
F
Dhivehi letter code
B (ބ)
 • Number of islands75
 • Inhabited islandsDharavandhoo Dhonfanu Eydhafushi Fehendhoo Fulhadhoo Goidhoo Hithaadhoo Kamadhoo Kendhoo Kihaadhoo Kudarikilu Maalhos Thulhaadhoo
 • Uninhabited islandsAhivaffushi, Aidhoo, Anhenunfushi, Bathalaa, Bodufinolhu, Boifushi, Dhakendhoo, Dhandhoo, Dhigufaruvinagandu, Dhunikolhu, Enboodhoo, Fehenfushi, Finolhas, Fonimagoodhoo, Fulhadhoorah kairi finonolhu, Funadhoo, Gaagandufaruhuraa, Gaavillingili, Gemendhoo, Hanifaru, Hanifarurah, Hibalhidhoo, Hirundhoo, Horubadhoo, Hulhudhoo, Innafushi, Kanifusheegaathu finolhu, Kanifushi, Kashidhoogiri, Keyodhoo, Kihaadhufaru, Kihavah-huravalhi, Kudadhoo, Kunfunadhoo, Landaagiraavaru, Lunfares, Maaddoo, Maafushi, Maamaduvvari, Maarikilu, Madhirivaadhoo, Medhufinolhu, Mendhoo, Milaidhoo, Miriandhoo, Muddhoo, Muthaafushi, Nibiligaa, Olhugiri, Thiladhoo, Ufuligiri, Undoodhoo, Vakkaru, Velivarufinolhu, Veyofushee, Vinaneih-faruhuraa, Voavah
Resort islands(*), airports(¤) and industrial islands are also considered uninhabited.

Ecology
Main article: Marine wildlife of Baa Atoll

Maalhosmadulhu Atoll is also considered as a good example of the rich biodiversity found in the Maldives, including large mangroves and a unique diversity of fauna, such as the benthic fauna. Furthermore, the ring-shaped reef forms known as faru in the local language is a reef structure which is unique to the Maldives.

The southernmost uninhabited island of Olhugiri in the Baa atoll lies 13 km north of Goifulhafehendhu Atoll. Olhugiri is well known for its unique natural vegetation and for providing two of the only perching sites for the great frigatebird in the Maldives. Likewise, other marine creatures such as seaturtles and hawksbill turtles can be encountered.

The Fisheries Ministry of the Maldives has banned catching turtles or taking eggs from Olhugiri, which also applies to 11 other islands.

gollark: I'll probably play less, since I don't really like the earlygame much.
gollark: Well, I've started it back up now (without the world files), since that seems to generally be popular.
gollark: No, those are cool.
gollark: I mean, if people do want a wipe or rollback. I suppose I could do something like giving them one item they had on the previous world, to make starting slightly nicer.
gollark: What does it contain?

See also

References
  • Divehi Tārīkhah Au Alikameh. Divehi Bahāi Tārikhah Khidmaiykurā Qaumī Markazu. Reprint 1958 edn. Malé 1990.
  • Divehiraajjege Jōgrafīge Vanavaru. Muhammadu Ibrahim Lutfee. G.Sōsanī.
  • Xavier Romero-Frias. The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom. Barcelona 1999.

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