Noonu Atoll

Noonu Atoll
Country	Maldives
Corresponding geographic atoll(s)	Miladhunmadulu Dhekunuburi
Location	5°58' N and 5°38' N
Capital	Manadhoo
Government
• Atoll chief	Ali Shareef
Population
• Total	10,483
Letter code	D
Dhivehi letter code	N (ނ)
• Number of islands	71
• Inhabited islands	Foddhoo * Henbandhoo * Holhudhoo * Kendhikolhudhoo * Kudafaree * Landhoo * Lhohi * Maafaru * Maalhendhoo * Magoodhoo * Manadhoo * Miladhoo * Velidhoo
• Uninhabited islands	Badadhidhdhoo, Bodufushi, Bodulhaimendhoo, Bomasdhoo, Burehifasdhoo, Dheefuram, Dhelibehuraa, Dhekenanfaru, Dhigurah, Dhonaerikandoodhoo, Ekulhivaru, Farumuli, Felivaru, Fodhidhipparu, Fushivelavaru, Gallaidhoofushi, Gemendhoo, Goanbilivaadhoo, Holhumeedhoo, Huivani, Hulhudhdhoo, Huvadhumaavattaru, Iguraidhoo, Kuddarah, Kadimmahuraa, Kalaidhoo, Karimma, Kedhivaru, Koalaa, Kolhufushi, Kudafunafaru, Kudafushi, Kunnamaloa, Kuramaadhoo, Kuredhivaru, Loafaru, Maafunafaru, Maakurandhoo, Maavelavaru, Medhafushi, Medhufaru, Minaavaru, Orimasvaru, Orivaru, Raafushi, Raalulaakolhu, Randheli, Thaburudhoo, Thaburudhuffaru,tholhendhoo, Thoshigadukolhu, Vattaru, Vavathi, Vihafarufinolhu
Resort islands, airports and industrial islands are also considered uninhabited.

Green turtle hatchlings makings their way to the sea on the uninhabited island on Loafaru in Noonu Atoll

Noonu Atoll (also known as Southern Miladhunmadulu Atoll or Miladhunmadulu Dhekunuburi) is an administrative division of the Maldives corresponding to the southern section of Miladhunmadulu Atoll. The capital is Manadhoo.

The Channel to the west of this atoll is called Baraveli Kandu. "Baraveli" means hermit crab in local Dhivehi language.

NOTE: Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa, Baa, Kaafu, etc. are code letters assigned to the present administrative divisions of the Maldives. They are not the proper names of the natural atolls that make up these divisions. Some atolls are divided into two administrative divisions while other divisions are made up of two or more natural atolls. The order followed by the code letters is from North to South, beginning with the first letters of the Thaana alphabet used in Dhivehi. These code letters are not accurate from the geographical and cultural point of view. However, they have become popular among tourists and foreigners in the Maldives who find them easier to pronounce than the true atoll names in Dhivehi, (save a few exceptions, like Ari Atoll).^[1]

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.

First-level administrative divisions of the Maldives
Atolls	Haa Alif Haa Dhaalu Shaviyani Noonu Raa Baa Lhaviyani Kaafu Alif Alif Alif Dhaal Vaavu Meemu Faafu Dhaalu Thaa Laamu Gaafu Alif Gaafu Dhaalu Gnaviyani
Cities	Malé Addu

Coordinates: 5°50′N 73°18′E / 5.833°N 73.300°E / 5.833; 73.300