Thulhaadhoo Explained

Thulhaadhoo
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:5.0231°N 72.8397°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Maldives
Subdivision Type1:Geographic atoll
Subdivision Type2:Administrative atoll
Subdivision Name2:Baa Atoll
Subdivision Type3:Distance to Malé
Subdivision Name3:119.59km (74.31miles)
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:0.380
Width Km:0.230
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:2,999
Population As Of:2019
Population Density Km2:auto
Utc Offset:+05:00
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Area Code Type:Area code(s)
Blank Name Sec2:Number of Islands
Blank1 Name Sec2:Inhabited
Blank2 Name Sec2:Uninhabited
Blank3 Name Sec2:Total
Area Total Ha:40
Postal Code:06090

Thulhaadhoo (Dhivehi: ތުޅާދޫ) is the second highest populated inhabited island of Baa Atoll.

History

The island has been reclaimed by the government recently. The island is famous for its lacquer work. It used to supply the noble families in the country with lacquered items, but now most of Thulhaadhoo's lacquer work is sold to tourists as souvenirs.[2]

Geography

The island is 119.590NaN0 north of the country's capital, Malé.[3]

Governance

Thulhaadhoo Council

The island is administered by a council of five members. The main objectives of this council are to make sure the well being of the island's citizens and to provide the basic needs of the people. The council is seen very active in the development of the island, although critics have risen against it.

Umaira Aboobakr, who is the only Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) member in the council, which holds the majority of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) with its four members, is faced with major difficulties working with the council. The disputes within the council reached its peak, when the four MDP members took a vote in the middle of 2011 to sack Umaira claiming that "she had not attended seven council meetings in a row."[4] A by-election was announced by the Elections Commission [5] of the Maldives but, later that year, The Maldivian High-Court cancelled the election and said that "the announcement on 5 October 2011 by Elections Commission for by-elections of B. Thulhaadhoo to be held on 19 November 2011, was made without fulfilling the requirements previously ordered by the High Court".[6] [7]

Currently, Thulhaadhoo council has 7 councillors, including the council president, 3 Male councillors among which one is the vice president and 3 female councillors. The president and one of the female councillors were independent candidates whereas the other 5 councillors are from Maldivian Democratic Party

Education

The island has one school headed by principal Ahmed Abdulla. In the year 2019 Ahmed Abdulla resigned from the post due to health issues. Ibrahim Rasheed is the current principal of Thulhaadhoo school. There are two pre schools in Thulhaadhoo, 2 of which is own by a private organisation.[8]

Healthcare

Thulhaadhoo's Health Centre became famous when Dr. Muhammad Owais Aziz recorded the first case of swine flu in Maldives.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Isles - Thulhaadhoo. 13 January 2023.
  2. [Xavier Romero-Frias]
  3. Web site: Coordinate Distance Calculator. Boulter.com. 12 August 2018.
  4. http://www.haveeru.com.mv/english/details/36621 "Thulhaadhoo Council bi-elections announced amid dispute", Haveeru Daily Online News
  5. http://www.elections.gov.mv/ The Elections Commission
  6. http://www.sun.mv/english/723 "High Court cancels By-election for Thulhaadhoo Council", Sun Online
  7. http://www.highcourt.gov.mv/dhi/mediamanager/2011-19_inthikhaabee.pdf Court Declaration
  8. Book: Masters , Tom . Maldives. Lonely Planet. 2006. 1-74059-977-2. 204. registration.
  9. https://dxnews.com/8q7sn-baa-atoll-maldives/