| Maafushi | |
| Native Name: | މާފުށި |
| 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: | 3.9403°N 73.4889°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Maldives |
| Subdivision Type1: | Geographic atoll |
| Subdivision Type2: | Administrative atoll |
| Subdivision Name2: | Kaafu Atoll |
| Subdivision Type3: | Distance to Malé |
| Subdivision Name3: | 26.08km (16.21miles) |
| 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: | 1.275 |
| Width Km: | 0.260 |
| Population Total: | 4471 (including foreigners) |
| Population As Of: | 2022 |
| 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 |
Maafushi is one of the inhabited islands of Kaafu Atoll and the leading Local Toursim Island of the Maldives.
The island’s proximity to Malé and its transport hubs has allowed Maafushi to become a popular destination for tourists visiting local islands.
Maafushi was heavily damaged by the 2004 tsunami which impacted on over 100,000 of the Maldives 300,000 population. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, supported by the Irish and American Red Cross Societies, began work on a mains sewage system on 10 August 2006. The International Federation has also funded the building of homes for those who lost theirs during the tsunami.
The island is 26.080NaN0 south of the country's capital, Malé.[1]
According to the latest Census conducted in 2022, the total population of Maafushi is at 4,471 out of which 3,195 are Maldivians, and 1,276 foreigners.
In accordance with the recently passed Decentralization Act of Maldives, Maafushi is governed by an elected Island Council composed of five Councillors. The Council is headed by the President of the Council. The Island Council reports to the Local Government Authority (LGA). As democracy and decentralization is at the infant stage in Maldives, the councillors, and the government find it difficult to deal with important issues like land, and resource utilization. There are still many legal issues that need to be settled, before the island council can confidently perform its duties independently. There is also the issue of lack of know-how among the councillors. Most councillors are without basic education, and find it difficult to manage the day-to-day affairs of the island.
Tourists from neighboring resort islands also visit Maafushi for island hopping and Maafushi provides them with shopping opportunity with souvenir shops at assigned areas of the island.
As of August 2016 there were more than 55 guest houses in Maafushi[2] and it is the only local inhabited island with most number of guest houses and guest beds in the country.
Evolution of guest houses in Maafushi
Maafushi is connected by ferry service from Malé.