Noonu Atoll

Green turtle hatchlings makings their way to the sea on the uninhabited island on Loafaru in Noonu Atoll

Noonu Atoll (also known as Southern Miladhunmadulu Atoll or Miladhunmadulu Dhekunuburi) is an administrative division of the Maldives corresponding to the southern section of Miladhunmadulu Atoll. The capital is Manadhoo. Total population of Noonu Atoll is around 10.000 people (Information from: 2006).

The whole district consists of 71 islands.13 of these island are inhabited. Their names are Fodhdhoo, Hebadhoo, Holhudhoo, Kedhikolhudhoo, Kudafari, Landhoo, Lhohi, Maafaru, Maalhendhoo, Magoodhoo, Miladhoo and Velidhoo.

Beside the so called local islands, Noonu Atoll is also home of 6 luxury resorts. They are named as NOKU Maldives (Kudafunafaru), Soneva Jani (Medhufaru), Cheval Blanc (Randheli), The Sun Siyam (Irufushi), Robinson Club Noonu (Orivaru) and Velaa Private Island (Orimasvaru). One more is under construction on Kuredhivaru and is estimated to be opened by the end of 2018.

Noonu Atoll has the highest density of swarming fishes which can be found in the Maldives, especially Fusiliers and Snappers. It also has a huge spinner dolphin population. The underwater world is also famous for scuba diving. The best known spots are Orimas Thila, a shark point for grey and white tip reef sharks, as well as Christmastree Rock (Vavathi Kurohli Thila) which is famous for the abundant soft coral life.

The Channel to the west of this atoll is called Baraveli Kandu. "Baraveli" means hermit crab in local Dhivehi language.

NOTE: Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa, Baa, Kaafu, etc. are code letters assigned to the present administrative divisions of the Maldives. They are not the proper names of the natural atolls that make up these divisions. Some atolls are divided into two administrative divisions while other divisions are made up of two or more natural atolls. The order followed by the code letters is from North to South, beginning with the first letters of the Thaana alphabet used in Dhivehi. These code letters are not accurate from the geographical and cultural point of view. However, they have become popular among tourists and foreigners in the Maldives who find them easier to pronounce than the true atoll names in Dhivehi, (save a few exceptions, like Ari Atoll).

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.
• http://planning.gov.mv/YearBook2011/yearbook/Population/3.3.htm