Maradhoo - Overview

Overview

Maradhoo is located in the middle of the island chain on the Western side of Addu City. To the North are Hankede followed by Hithadhoo's Gaukendi, Rujjehera, Abuhera, RAF, Maamendhoo and Mainland Hithadhoo. To the South are Maradhoo-Feydhoo, Feydhoo and Gan island. Maradhoo is about 539 kilometers from the Maldives capital island, Male. It has a population of 3289 and is ranked 17th in terms of population in Maldives. Mardhoo's location makes it strategically important for the atoll as the main bridging point between the main industrial island Gan and the atoll's administrative capital Hithadhoo. Maradhoo is a larger island in Maldivian terms. The southern part, towards Feydhoo, has a separate administrative division and is regarded as a separate island named Maradhoo-Feydhoo, even though it is physically attached to Maradhoo island itself.

Maradhoo's landscape mainly features palm trees and tropical shrubs as in other islands in Addu Atoll. The island consists of small roads, close lanes, large number of closely built houses, only a few have a second floor. Green vegetation surrounds most of the housing compounds, especially coconut palm and banana trees, and are regarded as part domestic agriculture.

Maradhoo has three wards

• The north towards Hankede is called Venbolhofushi(which is geographically a separate island)
• The central area is called Egganburi
• The South is called Valiburi, and further south is feydhooburi, now known as Maradhoo-Feydhoo.

NOTE:Though wards are known to common like this, since old times the official names were RANDHOO(valiburi) and MAARANDHOO(egganburi)

The northeast end of the island is a place of historical importance, where the British navy had a major slipway and marine maintenance base. This area is now being used by a private company as a slipway and serves as a major maintenance and docking center for Dhonis, Ships and other sea-going vessels throughout the atoll as well as nearby atolls. In fact it is the only such facility in the atoll. Another significant structure is Bondoge ( literally meaning 'Big house'), which was used as a criminal detention center by British RAF forces during and after the second world war. After the RAF left Addu Atoll, Bondoge was used as a theater by locals and is now an administrative building containing a Kids Club called Club Goadhiyya. This building stands as the largest building in the island.

Maradhoo is the main fishing village in the atoll and supplies fish to nearby Maradhoo-Feydhoo and Feydhoo. Maradhoo also has good house reef with plenty of varieties of fish and multi-colored corals and is a famous diving point for divers who come to Addu Atoll. Maradhoo Inside is a place in the interior atoll, before the island Maradhoo.