![]() On some, Ihavandhippolhu Atoll, at the very north of the Maldives, is sometimes named Ihavandiffulhu Atoll. The Oxford definition of an atoll is a ‘ring-shaped coral reef enclosing a lagoon.’ However, an atholhu is an administrative district, sometimes covering more, or less, than one atoll.ĭifferent maps of the Maldives rarely have the same spellings. For instance, the word atoll is the only word in the English language of Dhivehi origin, coming from the word atholhu. In some cases, original meanings of words have also been changed. The names of the atolls, islands and coral reefs of the Maldives have a curious mixture of spellings, resulting in many simplifications to make titles more readable. These eroded substrata largely govern the shape of modern reefs today, and many of these features remain submerged providing divers with spectacular natural formations. After they were re-flooded by the sea, marine life re-established itself, and layers of coral and coralline algae continued to grow upon the eroded gutters and valleys. ![]() The limestone reefs were readily eroded by fresh water, and this led to the formation of caves and canyons of all shapes and sizes. ![]() At the same time, reefs were left high out of the water. ![]() Yet, coral reefs have not always existed as they do today.ĭuring the ice ages, falls in sea levels forced reef-building away from the reefs to colonize new areas. The type and shape of reef developed depends to a great extent on the depth and the shape of the ocean floor, the currents, the recent geographical history of the area and degree of exposure to wave action. Coralline algae, which thrives in areas exposed to wave action and places too deep and dark for coral, cement the framework of dead and broken coral together forming a solid limestone base. Fragile branching coral may grow between 20 and 30 centimeters per year, while massive boulder-shaped coral may grow only a few millimeters per year. The fringing reefs surrounding these mountains built up and became more distant from the center of the range until there was nothing left but a circle of reefs enclosing a lagoon, called an atoll.ĭuring a seismic survey by Esso in 1980, a well sunk near Bandos concluded that a volcanic base lay beneath 2100 meters of limestone, supporting the subsidence theory of Darwin.Ĭoral reefs are created by tiny animals called polyps, which secrete a hard limestone skeleton, which provides the reef framework. In the resort atolls, Felidhoo Atoll is now referred to as Vaavu, Ari Atoll as Alifu, Malé Atoll as Kaafu, Faadhippolhu Atoll as Lhaviyani, South Maalhosmadulu Atoll as Baa, and Addu Atoll as Seenu.Ĭharles Darwin proposed that the atolls of the Maldives developed as the mountain range gradually subsided into the sea or the sea levels rose. For convenience, these atolls are divided into 19 administrative groups and named according to the letters of the Maldivian alphabet. Minicoy is the 27 th atoll, but it was linked to India in 1753 during the time of Sultan al Mukarram Mohamed Imadudeen III (1750- 1757 AD). The islands are divided into 26 geographic atolls. Unofficially, there are 1120 islands, but the actual number varies from one year to the next as islets are continually being washed away and new ones formed. Of this number, 991 are uninhabited and 199 habited. Officially there are 1190 islands with some form of vegetation on them, whether grass or bushes or trees. Estimates of the number of islands differs, depending on the definition of an island. ![]() The Maldives cover an area of 90 000 square kilometers and lie between latitude 7° 6’ 30” N to 72° 32’ 30” E to 73° 46’ 15” E. The atolls of the Maldives form the central part of a tremendous underwater mountain range stretching for over 2,000 km from the Laccadive Islands, in the north, to the Chagos Islands, in the south. ![]()
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