Nilandhoo (Faafu Atoll)

Nilandhoo
Inhabited island
Nilandhoo Location in Maldives
Coordinates:
Country	Maldives
Administrative atoll	Faafu Atoll
Distance to Malé	140.79 km (87.48 mi)
Dimensions
• Length	1.175 km (0.730 mi)
• Width	0.725 km (0.450 mi)
Population
• Total	1,598
Time zone	MST (UTC+05:00)

For other islands, see Nilandhoo (disambiguation).

Nilandhoo (Dhivehi: ނިލަންދޫ) is in Faafu Atoll.

Nilandhoo is the capital of Faafu Atoll. There are 5 inhabited island in which Nilandhoo takes the lead being the capital of faafu atoll. About the population of the islands Nilandhoo takes the lead too with its land size comparing to other islands of faafu atoll. Nilandhoo has its own specialty other than rest of the islands of Maldives, include the historical place in Nilandhoo. It is well known as foah'mathi. It is told that there is a Temple of Buddhist under that, where idols are also there. Nilandhoo "Aasaari Miskiy" is the second mosque built in the Maldives. Nilandhoo is having a well established school, in which students can study till 12 th standard

Archeology

There are important Buddhist remains in this island, including a stupa, indicating that it was inhabited in the past. Some excavations were conducted during Thor Heyerdahl's visit by a team of Norwegian archaeologists.

Geography

Nilandhoo is the largest island in Faafu atoll, densely populated, lies in southern rim of Atoll. Harboring is easy in this island. It is coded as L-6.

Population

At the end of June 2005, the population of Nilandhoo was 1608, with 806 females & 802 males. This population resides nearly in 190 houses.

Living standards

Fishing is main occupation of citizen of Nilandhoo. However a number of peoples engaged in Agriculture, construction, & resort works. Few numbers of families live in Malé for both office works and to provide good education for their children. The island has 26 mechanised vessels, 8 bokkura used for fishing, 1 yacht Dhoni and 2 sathari dhoni used for travelling between island & Male'. It has three retail shops & four cafes.

Health Service

Nilandhoo health center was open in mid 1996. since then basic health service is available at nilandhoo. At that moment the health center was run by Nilandhoo island development committee. But after government shifted atoll capital from Magoodhooo to Nilandhoo its name converted into F.Atoll Health Center. The island has 2 private pharmacies with 2 qualified pharmacists. They are medicine zone-4 and Life Pharama.

Education

Education from primary level up to grade 10 are available at F. atoll education center based in Nilandhoo. Pre school education is provided by women’s committee using a Pre-school opened recently. In addition few numbers of Tuition classess & Adhuruge are available in Nilandhoo community.

Government buildings / mosques

Faaf Atoll Office Faaf Atoll House Faaf Nilandhoo Office Faaf Nilandhoo court

Faaf Atoll Education Center

Faaf Atoll Education Center was (F.A.E.C) opened in February 1986 by then minister of Education Mr Mohamed Zahir Hussain. it provides secondary education since 1996. The first batch of students (total 7 students) to complete secondary education in the school sat for their Cambridge Ordinary Level Examination in 1998.

This school provided by the government teaches up to grade 12. Subjects for both commerce stream and science stream are taught in the school. Among the facilities in the school are computer lab, science lab, and library.

The school use four different buildings. First building which is a main hall divided into four class rooms by partition. Second building composed of four different class rooms. Third building is a two-story building composed of 8 separated class rooms. Both science lab and staff room are there in this building. Fourth building composed of 2 class rooms and built by Parents-Teachers Association. Both badminton and netball ground are available inside school area.

Head Master House

Head master house opened in February 1986. it is used as residence who come to serve as headmaster for F. Atoll Education Center. It is located near F. Atoll Education Center in front of football playground. Both satellite TV, Internet service, are available currently at Head master house.

Abdulla Ismail's Memorial library

Abdulla Ismail's library was first opened in F. Magoodhoo and shifted to Nilandhoo in February 1999. It was built as a memory of Maldivian mathematician Mr Abdulla Ismail, who was born in F. atoll Himithi. The library contains lots of books in different fields. It is located in front of F. Atoll Education Center next to F. atoll health center near Thahaaluf mosque.

Faaf Atoll Health Center

F. atoll health center was first opened in F. Magoodhoo. It was shifted to Nilandhoo on February 1999. F. atoll health center has a ward, labor room, consulting room, laboratory, dressing room, and administrative room and tea corner. Now an operation theater is in process of being added to this Atoll health center that is intended to be changed into an Atoll hospital in a near future.

Currently numbers of medical and paramedical staffs work at F. atoll health center. They include:

• 1 doctor (MBBS),
• 3 Community Health Workers
• 2 family health workers
• 6 nurses,
• 2 nurse assistants
• 2 midwives,
• 1 local medical practitioner
• 1 laboratory technician
• numbers of para medical staffs

Faaf Atoll Store

It is more like a supermarket, located in Kurimagu Square next to pre-school and near Nilandhoo office. The store is run by atoll development committee and Atoll office. it sells all sorts of goods, beginning from match boxes to wood and cement, etc. People from neighboring islands come to Nilandhoo to buy goods they need for their daily life. The store has a manager and a few sales assistants. Atoll Dhoni travels twice a week between Male' and Nilandhoo to carry goods needed for atoll store.

Faaf Atoll police Station

Nilandhe Atholhu Uthuruburi Police Station was established on 21 April 2003 in F. Nilandhoo. The main objective of Nilandhe Atholhu Uthuruburi Police Station is to maintain peace, stability and harmony across the atoll and carry out investigations into crimes and public complaints in a fair and friendly manner to deliver justice to the locals of the atoll. Nilandhe Atholhu Uthuruburi Police Station will also assist the citizens, the atoll and island chiefs to reduce crime and maintain a low crime rate. Currentlythe police station is running under S.Sgt Ahmed Shafeeu's management.

Faaf Nilandhoo Preschool

Nilandhoo pre-school is run by women's committee. it provides education for three pre-school level. The service is provided by four certified pre-school teachers with help of F.A.E.C head student's association. It is located in south west side of island ( main road / Ameeneemagu) in front of Nilandhoo office, west to Faaf Atoll store.

Faaf Nilandhoo Power House

This is a public power house run by Nilandhoo island development committee. They use four separate engines to provide 24-hour electricity to nilandhoo community. It is located in north west district of Nilandhoo in front of Veyodhoshu Square near Faaf Atoll Office.

Faaf Nilandhoo Oil House

Thi is an Oil House run by Nilandhoo island development committee. It is located in front of jetty near western harbour in north west corner of island. It provides fueling service for both local and foreign sea vehicles.

Faaf Nilandhoo- Thahaaluf Mosque

This is the largest mosque in the island. It was built in old graveyard. at that time in front of graveyard there was a small mosque called bulha miskih. it is located behind Abdulla ismail's library near health center & pharmacies.

Faaf Nilandhoo- Salaam Mosque

The mosque is built by members of Day light club. Before There was a small mosque called Dhon kabo miskih in this area. it is located in North east corner of island near the garbage collecting area close to beach.

Faaf Nilandhoo- Wahdha Mosque

This is first modern mosque built in Nilandhoo. Before there was a mosque called Fanna miskih in this area. it is located in north west side of island next to nilandhoo office & near oil house (before 2007) & veyodhoshu Squre.

Faaf Nilandhoo- Aasaary Mosque

The Aasaari Miskiiy, on the island of Nilandhoo in Faafu Atoll, is the second oldest mosque in the country, built during the reign of the first sultan, Mohamed Ul-Adil (1141-1166 d.c.).Some say the mosque is 800 years old and built by Sultan Mohamed Ibn Abdhulla, who was responsible for converting the country to Islam. This ancient mosque has an amazing structure of well-cut stones and its interior is decorated with patterned wooden scrollwork. It’s possible that stones were recycled from the ruins of earlier pre-Islamic temples. Thor Heyerdahl’s book ‘The Maldives Mystery’ devotes an entire chapter to this island. His expedition unearthed a number of phallic stone carvings, similar to the lingam associated with the Hindu god Shiva in his manifestation as the creator. Examples of these images can be seen in the National Museum in Malè. Heyerdahl’s expedition also found ruins believed to have been part of an ancient gate, one of the seven surrounding a great pagan temple complex. Of Nilandhoo, Heyerdahl wrote: "Five teams of archeologists could dig here for five years and still make new discoveries… the magnitude of this prehistoric center seemed quite out proportion to the size of the island". The local authorities recently delimited the area around the mosque. Another major attraction of this island is an extensive Hindu temple complex discovered by the Norwegian anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl. The complex features several phallic statues and elaborate friezes of pre-Islamic Buddhist temples.A small hill (havitta) rises where some ruins of the pagan temple are supposed to be still undiscovered.

Medicine Zone -4- Pharmacy This is first pharmacy opened in Nilandhoo. It is a private pharmacy owned by Mr Ibrahim Rasheed G. Niar ( kashidhoo rasheed ). it is located near Thahaaluf mosque & Bageecha pharmacy. The pharmacy opens daily from 9 am to 2 pm & from 8 pm to 10 pm except Friday.

Bageecha Pharmacy This is the second pharmacy opened in Nilandhoo. It is a private pharmacy owned by Mr Mohamed Ahmed Dhonfai bageechage F. nilandhoo. it is located near Thahaaluf mosque & Medicine zone-4 pharmacy & Bageecha hotaa. From early 2007 this pharmacy is owned by Abdull Qadir (Fiyanoomaage / F.Nilandhoo). Under his ownership this pharmacy has been the most sales making pharmacy in the atoll.

Developmental programmes/Activities

1. Provision of internet service via cyber cafe run by women's development committee
2. Provision of Electricity to island community for 24 hrs a day
3. Run a pre-school by women's development committee
4. Cleaning of the beach and the inner island
5. Many other similar developmental activities

Projects and Developmental programmes

• Nilandhoo Harbor Dredging And Reclamation Project
• Nilandhoo Youth Center Project
• Atoll Hospital Annex Building
• New Pre-School Building
• Developing a current Football ground

Private organizations/committees/associations

• Faaf Atoll Education center head student's association
• Day light club
• Shabaab
• DON Jamiyya

Shops / stores / bookshops

• Faaf Atoll Store
• Esjehi store (Owner: Abdull Razzaq / Esjehige / F.Nilandhoo)
• Beach house Store (Owner: Moosa / Beash House / F.Nilandhoo)
• Reethi Gus fihaara(Owner: Ali / Reethigasdoshuge / F.Nilandhoo
• Gehi Bookshop
• A.M.H Vedio
• Beach Plaza (Owner: Ibrahim Namee / Beach Side / F.Nilandhoo)
• Angolhi (Owner: Mohamed Ibrahim / Saadheevilla / F.Nilandhoo)

Tuition centers / Quran classes

• Bageecha Tuition Class
• Uhmeedhee Tuition Class
• Nishan Tuition Center
• Thadhrees al-Quran Al kareem

Restaurants and cafes

• Maakeyn hotaa
• Ranmedhu hotaa
• Bageecha hotaa
• Maalan Cafe
• Veemala Hota
• Restaurant Vehi

Carpentries / workshops

• MAIMOO VIEW Carpentry
• Annarmaage Carpentry
• Azra Manzil Carpentry
• Bageecha Workshop

Squares / gardens /beaches /specific areas

• Football ground
• monumental area
• Kurimagu Square
• Veyodhoshu park
• Veyodhoshu Square
• School corner
• Garbage collecting area
• Funnar magu holhuashi
• kudaganduvaru magu holhuashi
• Veyodhoshu holhuashi
• Ziyaarai magu holhuashi
• Dhon kanbo magu holhuashi
• New graveyard
• Thundi-The great beach
• Kanu kolhu-The eastern beach
• Bodu magu kolhu-A beach for kids
• Small nilandhoo-An artificial village
• Western Hobor- A Horbor for Large vessels.
• Eastern Hobor- A harbor for foreigners

Available local and agricultural products

• dried fish
• salted fish
• rihaakuru
• dhiyaa hakuru
• rope
• thatch
• Watermelon
• Cucumber
• Pumpkin and Squash
• Chile and curry leaves
• Kale and Kang kong
• Banana
• Curry leaves
• Guava
• Mango

References

• Divehi Tārīkhah Au Alikameh. Divehi Bahāi Tārikhah Khidmaiykurā Qaumī Markazu. Reprint 1958 edn. Malé 1990.
• Divehiraajjege Jōgrafīge Vanavaru. Muhammadu Ibrahim Lutfee. G.Sōsanī.
• Xavier Romero-Frias, The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom. Barcelona 1999.
• Skjølsvold, Arne. 1991. Archaeological Test-Excavations On The Maldive Islands. The Kon-Tiki Museum Occasional Papers, Vol. 2. Oslo.