The debate on the largest natural atoll in the Maldives is interesting and exciting. The two contenders competing the debate are Bodu Thiladhunmathi from North of the country and Huvadhoo Atoll from South of the country.
As these two Atolls are the biggest natural atolls in the world, the largest atoll in the Maldives will be also the largest atoll in the world as well. And the second largest atoll in the Maldives will be the second largest atoll in the world.
Although there are more larger atolls in the world than these two atolls, most of them are under water. Therefore, the two largest atolls in the world are in the Maldives. Hence, if there is any competition for the largest atoll in the world, definitely the trophy will be in our country.
No matter how exciting the debate may be, answer for the matter is very clear. The difference between the sizes of two atolls is also visible in the eyes. It would not be fair to say that the only reason for this debate is the importance due to the honour only. There are historical, natural, geographical, cultural, political and administrative reasons for this matter.
Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll
Let’s see what Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll is first. Historically, it has been an administrative atoll consisting of three atolls, generally referring as Thiladhunmathi or Bodu Thiladhunmathi. Starting from the north of Ha. Thuraakunu to the end of Boduthila (shallow area), south of Vaikara Muraadhoo and Maamakunudhoo Atoll is Thiladhunmathi.
While administrative Thiladhunmathi consists of two atolls and half of one atoll, completely included two atolls are Ihavandhippolhu atoll and Maamakunudhoo atoll and area starting from the east of Ha. Kelaa to till the beginning of ‘Baraveli Kandu’ is lately being called as the Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll.
Commander Robert Moresby, author of the Nautical Directions for the Maldivian Islands and the Chagos Archipelago, who first published a detailed modern map of the islands, reefs and atolls of the Maldives stated he does not understand why Maldivian people administratively called two different names, Thiladhunmathi Atoll and Miladhunmadulu Atoll to a single natural atoll.
“This Atoll is a continuation of the north part of Milladoo Madou Atoll, indeed they are joined, or rather situated on the same bank of soundings; having no channels without soundings separating them, like the other Atolls; why the natives should have given them two names I cannot tell” (p. 6)
In his view, why Maldivian forefathers call two names to is due to historical, natural, geographical, cultural, political and administrative reasons.
There are no time in the history of Maldives so far that Thiladhummathi and Miladhunmadulu are not divided administratively. It is known that Thiladhunmathi Atoll and Miladhunmadulu Atoll were divided into two administrative atolls 825 years ago.
Back 825 years ago in 1196 – 1197, Dhanbidhoo Lomafaanu states that “Thanadhuvamahthe” (Thiladhunmathi) and “Miladhuvumadule” (Miladhunmadulu) are two separate atolls. In the Dhanbidhoo Lomafaanu which “Thanadhuvamahthe” was written also were written “Kumputi in Thanadhuvamahthe” which is believed to be Kulhudhuffushi in Thiladhunmathi Atoll. Similarly in the Dhanbidhoo Lomafaanu it “Kolikurehdhuvu in Miladhuvumadule” was written, which is assumed as “Kolikurendhoo in Miladhunmadulu Atoll”
Huvadhoo Atoll
The Huvadhoo Atoll huge special atoll in many ways. The atoll has a high historical and geographical reputation. The late Mohamed Ibrahim Luthfee (1995), author of “Dhivehi Raajjeyge Geography vanavaru”, stated in an introduction to Huvadhoo Atoll “The longest part of the atoll starts from ‘Maafaru Falhu’ located at East of the atoll and end at ‘Maafares Muli’ located at South of the atoll. The distance between the two points is 42.5 miles. The widest part of the atoll is from East of ‘Dhiyadhoo’ to West of ‘Madaveli’. The distance between these two points is 34 miles.” (page. 195). Moreover, Luthfee has written on the same page of the book that narrowest part of the atoll is from east of ‘Ekefaru Muli’ to outer area of ‘Beyrumauddoo’. The distance between these two points is 22.5 miles
Speaking about the Huvadhoo Atoll, Moresby (1839) stated that “This Atoll is one of the largest of Maldiva group” (page. 28).
Which Atoll is the Bigger?
In the “World Atlas of Coral Reefs” published in 2001 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), has stated very clearly with numbers which atoll is bigger from Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll and Huvadhoo Atoll.
The Atlas is the first such book to be compiled after scientific research and analysis conducted with the help and involvement of NASA. This is stated on page 221 of the book, which highlights the details and figures of Maldivian geography.
“These include the largest surface-level atolls in the world: the area of Thiladhunmathi and Miladhunmadulu Atolls (with two names, but a single atoll structure) is some 3 680 square kilometers, while Huvadhoo Atoll in the south is over 3 200 square kilometers. (The Great Chagos Bank to the south occupies an even greater area, but is now largely submerged).” (page. 221).
Hence, it is clear from a huge margin of about 480 square kilometers that Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll is bigger than Huvadhoo Atoll. So far no one has come up with a scholarly evidence to prove that Huvadhoo Atoll is bigger than Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll. And all the scientific studies have proven that Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll is larger than Huvadhoo Atoll.
As per the scientific research by Abdullah Naseer and Bruce G. Hatcher (2004), the gap between two atolls is even greater. According to the study, Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll is 510.12 square kilometers larger than that of Huvadhoo Atoll. In the mentioned research, size of Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll is 3,788.71 square kilometers and Huvadhoo Atoll is 3,278.59 square kilometers. Moreover, as per the research Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll has the largest reef area in the Maldives with 500.70 square kilometers. With 489.40 square kilometers, Ari Atoll (Alifu Alifu Atoll and Alifu Dhaalu Atoll) is the second largest. With 437.90 square kilometers, Huvadhoo Atoll is the third largest. Furthermore, in the same research it is stated that with 68.70 square kilometers of land, Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll has the largest land area in the Maldives. With 34.30 square kilometers of land Huvadhoo Atoll comes to second place and with 23.10 square kilometers, Hadhunmathi Atoll (Laamu Atoll) is at the third spot.
According to worldatlas.com, Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll is 3,850 square kilometers in size and Huvadhoo Atoll is 3,152 square kilometers in size. And the gap between the two atolls is 698 square kilometers.
There are little talk among locals that Huvadhoo Atoll is the largest atoll in the country. These information have reached the ears of foreign people and have been depicted in this way. The author of “Dhivehi Raajjeyge Geography vanavaru” the late Mohamed Ibrahim Luthfee (1995), stated, “Huvadhoo Atoll is the largest atoll in the Maldives and the world’s largest coral atoll” (p. 195). But there is no enough scholarly evidence or evidence to build it on the statement. In this case, too, it appears to be due to historical, theoretical, geographical, cultural, political, and administrative reasons for this matter.
One of the main reasons is that, unlike Huvadhoo Atoll and other atolls in the Maldives, there is a greater status than that of Thiladhunmathi Atoll and Miladhunmadulu Atoll for a long time. Therefore, it has not been common to refer to the two atolls in terms of administrative status as Bodu Thiladhunmathi since early times. And it might be due to the importance of the administrative name that it is not referred as Bodu Thiladhunmathi. The administrative status, importance, and fame that Bodu Thiladhunmathi had from more than 1,000 years ago is distinct.
Since early age when Thiladhunmathi was known as one administrative atoll, which was the most populated atoll in the Maldives. Also, Livelihoods, Urbanization, Labour, Trade and Economic activities are carried in largest in Thiladhunmathi. It is the atoll that is most closely and largely linked to international trade and transportation. The atoll is located on one of the world’s busiest and most congested routes of trade and transportation. The role of women in social and economic activities is considered to be the most extensive in Thiladhunmathi. Thiladhunmathi is the atoll that pays largest amount of money to central government back in early days. And atoll is considered as the atoll that play a major role in the implementation of the state’s policy. In addition atoll is considered as the best atoll culturally, nationally, education, upbringing, and most developed.
In his introduction to Ihavandhippolhu, the author of “Dhivehi Raajjeyge Geography vanavaru” the late Mohamed Ibrahim Luthfee (1995) stated, “Most of the wars fought for the nation have affected the northern atolls. Also difficulties caused by ‘Malabars’ also faced by northern part of the country. The Arabs were more likely to be fishing in the northern atolls. Even after the introduction of Islam to the Maldives, scholars who travelled from Iran, Yemen, the Middle East, Malabar, and East Africa often visited the northern atolls” (p. 88).
It is well known from the very beginning that Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll is larger than Huvadhoo Atoll. This is evident from the charts of the country. Also from the charts that Moresby drawn 183 years ago (in 1839). This fact is also reflected in a chart drawn 70 years ago (in 1949) by the local mathematician Himithi Ismail Thuhthu.
A World Record
Even now Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, which is a smaller atoll than both Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll and Huvadhoo Atoll is in Guinness World Record book as the largest atoll in the world. The size of Kwajalein Atoll in Guinness World Record book is 2,850 square kilometres, which is 830 to 1,000 square kilometers smaller than Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll. This is the epistemic reality.
Therefore, now is the time that with lead of northern four atolls and Maldives as a country to work to make Bodu Thiladhunmathi Atoll, as the world’s largest atoll in the Guinness World Record book.
Reference
Mohamed Ibrahim Luthufee (1995) Dhivehi Raajjeyge Geography vanavaru.
H.C.P. Bell (1940) The Maldivian Islands. Monograph on the History, Archaeology, and Epigraphy.
Maldives History Committee (1990) National Center for Language and History.
Dhivehi Thaareeh (1981) National Center for Language and History.
Moresby, R. (1839) Nautical Directions for the Maldives Islands and the Chagos Archipelago.
Spalding, M. D., Ravilious, C., Green, E. P. (2001). World Atlas of Coral Reefs. Prepared at UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre. University of California Press, Berkeley, USA.
Naseer, A., and Hatcher, B. G. (2004). Inventory of the Maldives’ coral reefs using morphometrics generated from Landsat ETM+ imagery. Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
WorldAtlas. The Largest Atolls In The World. Retrieved October 04, 2022, from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-largest-atolls-in-the-world.html
Guinness World Records. Largest atoll. Retrieved October 04, 2022, from https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/66691-largest-atoll
Dhanbidhoo Loamaafaanu
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