Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll

Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll (code name Raa) is an atoll from the Maldives. It includes Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll proper and the island of Alifushi.

Raa Atoll
atoll of the Maldives
Country	Maldives
Corresponding geographic atoll(s)	Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi
Location	5° 58' N and 5° 20' N
Capital	Ungoofaaru
Government
• Atoll Chief	Ali Shahid
Population
• Total	24,753
Letter code	E
Dhivehi letter code	R (ރ)
• Number of islands	88
• Inhabited islands	Alifushi Angolhitheemu Fainu Hulhudhuffaaru Inguraidhoo Innamaadhoo Kandholhudhoo Kinolhas Maakurathu Maduvvaree Meedhoo Rasgetheemu Rasmaadhoo Ungoofaaru Vaadhoo
• Uninhabited islands	Aarah, Arilundhoo, Badaveri, Bodufarufinolhu, Bodufenmaaenboodhoo, Bodufushi, Boduhaiykodi, Boduhuraa, Ekurufushi, Etthingili, Dhigali, Dhoragali, Dheburidheythereyvaadhoo, Dhikkurendhdhoo, Dhinnaafushi, Dhuvaafaruhuraa, Faarafushi, Fasmendhoo, Fenfushi, Filaidhoo, Fuggiri, Furaveri, Gaaudoodhoo, Giraavaru, Goyyafaru, Guboshi, Hiraveri, Hulhudhoo, Huruvalhi, Ifuru, Kaddogadu, Kothaifaru, Kottafaru, Kottefaru, Kudafushi, Kudahaiykodi, Kudakurathu, Kudalhosgiri, Kudathulhaadhoo, Kukulhudhoo, Kuroshigiri, Lhaanbugali, Lhaanbugau, Lhohi, Liboakandhoo, Lundhufushi, Maafaru, Maamigili, Maamunagaufinolhu, Maanenfushi, Maashigiri, Madivaafaru, Mahidhoo, Meedhupparu, Muravandhoo, Mullaafushi, Neyo, Thaavathaa, Ufulandhoo, Ugulu, Uthurumaafaru, Vaffushihuraa, Vandhoo, Veyvah, Viligili, Wakkaru
Resort islands(*), airports(¤) and industrial islands are also considered uninhabited.

1. Alifushi and Etthingili (Powell Islands in the Admiralty Chart) stand on a detached reef of their own with very deep waters (no sounding) between this faru and the northern end of the main Atoll.

2. Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll is 35 miles in length from N to S, and 15 miles across at its broadest part. Its western fringe is composed of a series of round or oval reefs (farus) irregularly placed (a feature peculiar to all the larger Northern Atolls). The centre is heavily dotted with coral patches (giri), some submerged and some awash. The concentration of giri is especially dense towards its SW quarter, close to Kandholhudhu Island (where there is the place most crowded with small reefs and shoals in the whole Maldives), but its narrower northern end is quite clear of reefs. The general depths of the lagoon are from 23 to 27 fathoms.

The capital of Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll is Ungoofaaru. Recently, the island has been reclaimed up to the edge of the reef in order to provide land for social and economic activities for the growing population.

Alifushi, located at the northern end of the atoll, is an island which has been traditionally famous for its skilled boatbuilding carpenters. It now houses shipyards.