Bodufolhudhoo Explained

Bodufolhudhoo
Native Name Lang:dv
Settlement Type:Inhabited island
Pushpin Map:Maldives
Pushpin Relief:y
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Pushpin Label Position:left
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Maldives
Coordinates:4.1847°N 72.7736°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Maldives
Subdivision Type1:Geographic atoll
Subdivision Type2:Administrative atoll
Subdivision Name2:Alif Alif Atoll
Subdivision Type3:Distance to Malé
Subdivision Name3:81.64km (50.73miles)
Seat Type:Capital
Parts Type:Geographic atolls
Parts Style:list
Leader Title:Council
Leader Title3:Mayor
Leader Title4:Island Chief
Unit Pref:Metric
Length Km:0.300
Width Km:0.300
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:608 (including foreigners)
Population As Of:2014
Population Density Km2:auto
Utc Offset:+05:00
Postal Code Type:Assigned Letter
Postal2 Code Type:Assigned Letter
Area Code Type:Area code(s)
Blank Name Sec2:Number of Islands
Blank1 Name Sec2:Inhabited
Blank2 Name Sec2:Uninhabited
Blank3 Name Sec2:Total

Bodufolhudhoo (Dhivehi: ބޮޑުފޮޅުދޫ) is one of the inhabited islands of Alif Alif Atoll in the Republic of Maldives.

Geography

The island is 81.640NaN0 west of the country's capital, Malé.[2] Bodufolhudhoo is a small island located in the central area of North Ari Atoll and surrounded by many famous tourist resorts, including Nika Island Resort, Velidoo and Gangehi.

Ecology

Bodufolhudhoo is the first island in the Maldives to ban single-use plastic bags.[3]

Economy

Bodufolhudhoo's economy has been based mostly on fishing until the early 1990s. The current economy is mainly supported by people working in the tourism industry.

There are a few tourist shops on the island for the guests who come island hopping from nearby resorts.

Bodufolhudhoo now boasts over five operating guesthouses with many guest houses under development. The island council has designated a private beach (Sunset beach) specifically for the visiting tourists.

Employment is predominantly provided by nearby resorts, however island employment may also be found in education, island council, health centre, utilities, shops, restaurants and guesthouses.

Healthcare

There is a health centre in the island to provide basic health care service to the community. The health centre has a medical officer and two registered nurses and nearly 15 staff members.

Transport

As Bodufolhudhoo is an island surrounded by sea, transport is mainly water based. There are speed boats and normal boats that people use for transport between the islands. Larger vessels are used to travel to and from the capital Male' and for faster transport residents use a seaplane service from the nearby resorts. Fishermen will use purpose-built fishing vessels to catch fish from the open sea. The government ferry system was introduced in 2012, whereby boats became available to travel between the islands at a cheaper fare.

People mostly walk on the island, but may also use bicycles and motorbikes to travel from one place to another. Wheelbarrow "gaadiyaa" in different sizes are used to transport heavy materials.

In the early 1990s a nationwide helicopter service was provided by Hummingbird. To this day the helipad used by Hummingbird exists in Bodufolhudhoo.

External links

https://web.archive.org/web/20180924104342/http://bodufolhudhoo.com/ (does not appear operational)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Table PP5: Resident Population by sex, nationality and locality (administrative islands), 2014. 34. Population and Households Census 2014. National Bureau of Statistics. 12 August 2018.
  2. Web site: Coordinate Distance Calculator. Boulter.com. 12 August 2018.
  3. Web site: First island in Maldives to ban single-use plastic bags.