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 Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll (Maldivian: Thiladhunmathi Uthuruburi) in the Maldives.
It is the northernmost of the 19 administrative divisions (known as "Atolls") of the country, and is the third-largest administrative division in terms of population and land area.
This administrative division consists of Ihavandhippolhu, the northernmost geographical atoll of the Maldive archipelago, and the northern section of Thiladhunmathi atoll. The capital of North Thiladhunmathi Atoll is the island of Dhidhdhoo where the Secretariat of North Thiladhunmathi Atoll Council is located.
Geography The Northern Thiladhunmathi Atoll administrative division consists of a total of 43 islands spread over two natural geographic atolls, namely Northern Thiladhunmathi, and Ihavandhippolhu.
Northern Thiladhunmathi is the northernmost portion of the huge Thiladhunmathi Atoll. Thiladhunmathi Atoll was administratively divided into northern and southern divisions in 1958.
Ihavandhippolhu lies to the north of Northern Thiladhunmathi, with the Ihavandhoo Kandu channel separating the two, and is the northernmost atoll of the Maldives. It is a small natural atoll 22 km in length. It has 25 islands lying all around the boundary reef. One long barrier reef forms the western side of the atoll. There are several coral patches in the lagoon and the general depth in the centre is 20 to 30 fathoms (35 to 55 m).
Ihavandhippolhu is separated from the Lakshadweep Islands of India by the broad channel known as Māmalē Kandu (or Maliku Kandu).
Islands Of the 43 islands in the North Thiladhunmathi Atoll administrative division, 14 of them are inhabited and are classified as administrative island constituencies. Each of these constituencies have an island council which responds to the North Thiladhunmathi Atoll Council which has its headquarters on Dhidhdhoo.
Island constituencies Name Population (2025) Education Health Political ward Coordinates Geographic Atoll RemarksBaarah 2,147 K-10 1 health centre A03 Baarah North Thiladhunmati Dhidhdhoo 4,736 K-11 1 hospital A04 Dhidhdhoo North Thiladhunmati Capital of North Thiladhunmati AtollFilladhoo 1,193 K-10 1 health centre A05 Kelaa North Thiladhunmati Hoarafushi 3,642 K-12 1 health centre A01 Hoarafushi Ihavandhippolhu Ihavandhoo 3,787 K-12 1 Hospital A02 Ihavandhoo Ihavandhippolhu Kelaa 2,467 K-10 1 health centre A05 Kelaa North Thiladhunmati Maarandhoo 1,131 K-10 1 health centre A02 Ihavandhoo Ihavandhippolhu Mulhadhoo 420 K-8 1 health provider A02 Ihavandhoo Ihavandhippolhu Muraidhoo 934 K-10 1 health centre A03 Baarah North Thiladhunmati Thakandhoo 960 K-9 1 health centre A03 Baarah North Thiladhunmati Thuraakunu 703 K-10 1 health centre A01 Hoarafushi Ihavandhippolhu Northernmost island in the country.Uligamu 561 K-10 1 health centre A01 Hoarafushi Ihavandhippolhu Utheemu 1020 K-10 1 health centre A03 Baarah North Thiladhunmati Location of iconic Utheemu Ganduvaru. Vashafaru 951 K-12 1 health centre A05 Kelaa North Thiladhunmati
Uninhabited Islands All uninhabited islands in Haa Alif Atoll are under the control of the North Thiladhunmathi Atoll Council.
Resort Islands NameResort Name Coordinates Geographical Atoll Remarks Manafaru JA Manafaru, Ihavandhippolhu Previous resort was The Beach House Iruveli (Waldorf Astoria Maldives)Berinmadhoo Construction in progress Ihavandhippolhu Was previously inhabited. Population relocated to Hoarafushi. Dhonakulhi Hideaway Beach Resort & Spa Maldives North Thiladhunmati Alidhoo J Resort Alidhoo North Thiladhunmati
Other Uninhabited Islands Name Current usage Coordinates Geographical Atoll Remarks Alidhuffarufinolhu - North Thiladhunmati Beenaafushi - North Thiladhunmati Dhapparuhura - North Thiladhunmati Dhigufaruhura - North Thiladhunmati Gaafushi - North Thiladhunmati Gaamathikulhudhoo - Ihavandhippolhu Gallandhoo - Ihavandhippolhu Govvaafushi - Ihavandhippolhu Hathifushi - Ihavandhippolhu Was previously inhabited. Population relocated to Hanimaadhoo. Huvahandhoo - Ihavandhippolhu Innafinolhu - Ihavandhippolhu Kandaalifinolhu - North Thiladhunmati Kudafinolhu - Ihavandhippolhu Maafahi Fisheries North Thiladhunmati Leased for long-term fisheries and agriculture. Maafinolhu - Ihavandhippolhu Maarandhoofarufinolhu - North Thiladhunmati Madulu Agriculture Ihavandhippolhu Leased for long-term fisheries and agriculture. Matheerah - Ihavandhippolhu Medhafushi Agriculture Ihavandhippolhu Leased for long-term fisheries and agriculture. Mulidhoo - North Thiladhunmati Naridhoo Resort (Development) North Thiladhunmati Umareifinolhu - Ihavandhippolhu Un'gulifinolhu - Ihavandhippolhu Van'gaaru - Ihavandhippolhu Velifinolhu - Ihavandhippolhu
Disappeared Islands These are islands which during recorded history, have been completely eroded away, claimed by the sea due to the sea-level rise associated with global warming or assimilated by other islands. Gasthirifinolhu Gudhanfushi Huraa Nasfaru Thiladhoo (merged into Dhidhdhoo, it was after this island that the atoll got its name of 'Thiladhunmathi') Thinadhoo
Administration Atoll Council
The North Thiladhunmathi Atoll administrative division is governed by an Atoll Council. The atoll council was created in 2011 with the enactment of the Decentralization Bill, which saw the introduction of local governance to the country. The secretariat of the atoll council is located on Dhidhdhoo.
The atoll is further divided up into 5 political wards each with one councillor.
Members Ward Code Name Elected Party Hoarafushi A06 Mohamed Waheed 2021 MDP Ihavandhoo A07 Ahmed Sabah 2021 PPM Baarah A16 Safath Mohamed 2021 MDP Dhidhdhoo A10 Abdulla Rasheed 2021 PPM Kelaa A08 Abdulla Infaz 2021 PPM Vashafaru A09 Ahmed Mueen 2021 PPM Utheem A14 Abdulla Rasheed 2021 PPM Thuraakunu A01 Alee Abdulatheef 2021 PPMMuraidhoo A15 Alee Sinan 2021 MDPFilladhoo A11 Fathulla Hassan 2021 MDPThakandhoo A13 Hussain Naeem 2021 MDPMaarandhoo A12 Jailam Haaroon 2021 PPMUligan A02 Ahmed Muaaz Mohamed 2021 IDMolhadhoo A05 Mohamed Sinadh 2021 ID
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.