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Eydhafushi
Inhabited island in Maldives From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Eydhafushi (Dhivehi: އޭދަފުށި) is the capital of Baa Atoll, which is an administrative division of the Maldives. Located in the central part of the country, Eydhafushi serves as the political, economic, and administrative hub of the region and plays a key role in local governance and regional development.
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History
Little is known about the history of Eydhafushi. The island's current population has been relatively recent, with estimated immigration of nearby islanders in the 17th–19th century.
In the 1968, people from the nearby Maaddoo island, Funadhoo and Undoodhoo were immigrated to Eydhafushi under the supervision of the Maldivian government as they sought a better standard of living.[3]
Geography
Summarize
Perspective
The island is 113.62 km (71 mi; 61 nmi) northwest of the country's capital, Malé.[4]
Eydhafushi is located at 05° 06' 10" north latitude and 73° 05' 15" east longitude. After land reclamation, the total area of Eydhafushi is now 58 ha (140 acres), including the part of the island expanded in 2015 by reclaiming the lagoon surrounding the island.[5]
The island is part of the UNESCO-designated Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve, known for its rich marine biodiversity and ecologically significant habitats.
The island is relatively small, with a land area of about 0.55 square kilometers. Due to land reclamation projects, the island has expanded over the years to accommodate its growing population and infrastructure needs.
Ecology
One of the growing issues at Eydhafushi is the rising temperatures. The island is sometimes referred by people as "hell" due to the extremely high temperatures, especially during mid-day. Due to lack of living space, in the past, trees at homes were cut down. Recently, the tall trees on the streets were also cut down to lay tar on the main roads. There were no sufficient greening programs held to make up for the cutting down of trees, hence resulting in dusty streets and growing temperatures.
Even after the reclamation project, there were no greening programs conducted to overcome the issue of the rising temperatures.
Climate
Eydhafushi has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen: Am).
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Demography
Governance
Eydhafushi shares a parliamentary district with Hithaadhoo and Maalhos called Eydhafushi Dhaairaa. The current member of parliament is prominent Maldivian businessman Mr. Ahmed Saleem (Redwave Saleem) elected as a member of PPM.
Municipal Council
The island is administered by 5 elected councilors who are elected for a term of 3 years. The current members were elected from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and People's National Congress (PPM).[8]
Atoll Council
The atoll is administered by 3 councilors. All of them represent the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).[9]
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Economy
Fishing
In the past, fishing was the major income for the local people. The tourism industry has grown in the last few years leading to an increase in employment.
Retail
Eydhafushi has more than 20 shops and markets that serve the island population along with the whole atoll population. These include food and consumer product stores, hardware stores, electronic shops, building materials, fabric stores, boutiques and automobile showrooms.
Tourism
The island current economy is supported by people working in the resorts and construction industry. With the increasing number of tourist resorts nearby, the local people began to prefer working in the resorts mainly due to the better salaries the jobs offer.
Most of the young people from the island join the resorts just after finishing school. These young people also have the chance to apply to multiple apprenticeship programs offered by some of most well known resorts in the country, such as the Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru and Soneva Fushi.[10]
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Education
Eydhafushi is home to Baa Atoll Education Centre (BAEC), the largest school in the atoll, providing primary and secondary education. Vocational training and higher education opportunities are also expanding, including programs linked to tourism and environmental management.
Baa Atoll Education Centre is the first Maldivian government school established outside of Male', and was inaugurated on 24 February 1978 by the then Minister of Education Abdul Sattar Moosa Didi. The school currently teaches up to 12th grade.[11]
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Healthcare
Healthcare services are provided by the Baa Atoll Hospital, which offers general medical care and some specialist services to island residents and those from surrounding islands. Apart from this, there are some private clinics offering niche healthcare services.
Transportation
The island is connected to the rest of the country primarily by sea. Regular ferry services and speedboats link Eydhafushi to nearby islands and Malé. The closest airport is Dharavandhoo Domestic Airport, located on a nearby island, which provides flights to Malé and other regional destinations. RTL ferry service is expected to connect the atoll through new speedboats this year.
Notable Features
- Proximity to Hanifaru Bay, a globally recognized marine protected area known for seasonal gatherings of manta rays and whale sharks.[12]
- Host to various cultural events and national celebrations within the atoll.
- Home to Masjid Mohamed Ali, one of the most beautiful mosques in the Maldives.[13]
Notable people
- Abdul Wahid Hussain
- Mohamed Jameel
- Mohamed Sifan
- Shafiu Ahmed
- Ali Fasir
- Hamza Mohamed
- Ahmed Nazeer
- Redwave Saleem
References
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