Nellaidhoo (Haa Dhaalu Atoll)

Nellaidhoo
Inhabited island
Nellaidhoo Location in Maldives
Coordinates: 06°43′00″N 72°56′44″E / 6.71667°N 72.94556°E / 6.71667; 72.94556Coordinates: 06°43′00″N 72°56′44″E / 6.71667°N 72.94556°E / 6.71667; 72.94556
Country	Maldives
Geographic atoll	Thiladhummathi Atoll
Administrative atoll	Haa Dhaalu Atoll
Distance to Malé	287.01 km (178.34 mi)
Dimensions
• Length	0.780 km (0.485 mi)
• Width	0.480 km (0.298 mi)
Population
• Total	1,073
Time zone	MST (UTC+05:00)

Nellaidhoo is one of the inhabited islands of Haa Dhaalu Atoll administrative division and geographically part of Thiladhummathi Atoll in the north of the Maldives.

On Saturday 8 December 1821, an extremely strong cyclone hit Nellaidhoo and many other island of northern Maldives causing severe damage. More recently, in 2006 the government of the Maldives listed Nellaidhoo as one of the islands under significant threat from sea level rise due to global warming. The government planned to relocate the population to larger islands with more facilities and better protection against rising sea levels. On 6 September 2006, the residents of the island protested outside the island office as their opinion was not consulted beforehand regarding the relocation.^[1]

Nellaidhoo is famous for fishing in history. However fishing has dropped down people especially young generation more engage in tourism. And many are involved in the construction industry. Woman plays a key role in the island to look after the children and do the works like thatch weaving, coir rope making. Nowadays making snacks and selling is also a common work doing by the woman.

Football and Bashi are the common sports in the island and rarely netball and volley too. Nellaidhoo has won the H.DH. Atoll Inter School Football Tournament named as "Kulhudhuffushi Bodukaleyfanu cup" in 1993 and FAM H.Dh Atoll Tournament in 2001 and 2002.

References