Utheemu (Haa Alif Atoll)

Utheemu އުތީމު
Island
Utheemu Ganduvaru- the historic residence of Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu and other rulers of the Utheemu Dynasty
Utheemu Location in Maldives
Coordinates: 6°50′4″N 73°06′47″E / 6.83444°N 73.11306°E / 6.83444; 73.11306Coordinates: 6°50′4″N 73°06′47″E / 6.83444°N 73.11306°E / 6.83444; 73.11306
Country	Maldives
Geographic atoll	Thiladhunmathi Atoll
Administrative atoll	Haa Alif Atoll
Distance to Malé	296.63 km (184.32 mi)
Government
• Council	Utheemu Island Council
Dimensions
• Length	0.9 km (0.6 mi)
• Width	0.73 km (0.45 mi)
Population (2006)
• Total	521
Time zone	MST (UTC+05:00)
Area code(s)	650, 20

Utheemu (Maldivian: އުތީމު) is one of the inhabited islands of Haa Alif Atoll administrative division and geographically part of Thiladhummathi Atoll in the north of the Maldives. It is an island-level administrative constituency governed by the Utheemu Island Council. Utheemu is famed as the birthplace of Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu, who with his brothers and his companions fought an eight-year-long war to drive out the Portuguese invaders who occupied the Maldives from 1558 to 1573. Utheemu Ganduvaru is the wooden palace in which Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu lived and grew up. It is well preserved and evokes more than any other existing building in the Maldives, the lifestyle of the rich, centuries ago.

The kings of the Utheemu Dynasty, Sultans Muhammed Imaduddin I (1632 to 1648 AD), Ibrahim Iskandar I (1648 to 1687 AD), Kuda Muhammad (1687 to 1691 AD) and Mohammed Moheyeddin (1691 to 1692 AD) all descended from this island. Regents from Utheem also ruled the Maldives from 1573 to 1632 AD, but the legal (though unrecognised) kings of the islands during this period were the exiled Christian Kings of the Maldives residing in Goa, India.

From 1602-1607, a French sailor, François Pyrard de Laval spent time on the Maldives, and gave a detailed account of the customs of the islanders during the Utheemu dynasty. His three-volume work was published in 1619 and is considered a valuable historical archive.

Harbor
Beach, north shore
New mosque
Utheemu Ganduvaru residence
Ancient cemetery

External links

Isles: Utheemu

Island-level constituencies of the Maldives

Haa Alif	Baarah Dhidhdhoo Filladhoo Hoarafushi Ihavandhoo Kelaa Maarandhoo Mulhadhoo Muraidhoo Thakandhoo Thuraakunu Uligan Utheemu Vashafaru

Haa Dhaalu	Finey Hanimaadhoo Hirimaradhoo Kulhudhuffushi Kumundhoo Kurinbi Makunudhoo Naivaadhoo Nellaidhoo Neykurendhoo Nolhivaram Nolhivaranfaru Vaikaradhoo

Shaviyani	Bileffahi Feevah Feydhoo Foakaidhoo Funadhoo Goidhoo Kanditheemu Komandoo Lhaimagu Maaungoodhoo Maroshi Milandhoo Narudhoo Noomaraa

Noonu	Foddhoo Henbandhoo Holhudhoo Kendhikolhudhoo Kudafaree Landhoo Lhohi Maafaru Maalhendhoo Magoodhoo Manadhoo Miladhoo Velidhoo

Raa	Alifushi Angolhitheemu Dhuvaafaru Fainu Hulhudhuffaaru Inguraidhoo Innamaadhoo Kinolhas Maakurathu Maduvvaree Meedhoo Rashgetheemu Rasmaadhoo Ungoofaaru Vaadhoo

Baa	Dharavandhoo Dhonfanu Eydhafushi Fehendhoo Fulhadhoo Goidhoo Hithaadhoo Kamadhoo Kendhoo Kihaadhoo Kudarikilu Maalhos Thulhaadhoo

Lhaviyani	Hinnavaru Kurendhoo Naifaru Olhuvelifushi

Kaafu	Dhiffushi Gaafaru Gulhi Guraidhoo Himmafushi Huraa Kaashidhoo Maafushi Thulusdhoo

Alif Alif	Bodufulhadhoo Feridhoo Himandhoo Maalhos Mathiveri Rasdhoo Thoddoo Ukulhas

Alif Dhaalu	Dhangethi Dhigurah Didhdhoo Fenfushi Hangnaameedhoo Kunburudhoo Maamingili Mahibadhoo Mandhoo Omadhoo

Vaavu	Felidhoo Fulidhoo Keyodhoo Rakeedhoo Thinadhoo

Meemu	Dhiggaru Kolhufushi Maduvvaree Mulah Muli Naalaafushi Raimmandhoo Veyvah

Faafu	Bileddhoo Dharanboodhoo Feeali Magoodhoo Nilandhoo

Dhaalu	Bandidhoo Hulhudheli Kudahuvadhoo Maaenboodhoo Meedhoo Rinbudhoo

Kolhumadulu (Thaa)	Burunee Dhiyamingili Gaadhiffushi Guraidhoo Hirilandhoo Kandoodhoo Kinbidhoo Madifushi Omadhoo Thimarafushi Vandhoo Veymandoo Vilufushi

Laamu	Dhanbidhoo Fonadhoo Gaadhoo Gan Hithadhoo Isdhoo Kalhaidhoo Kunahandhoo Maabaidhoo Maamendhoo Maavah Mundoo

Gaafu Alif	Dhaandhoo Dhevvadhoo Gemanafushi Kanduhulhudhoo Kolamaafushi Kondey Maamendhoo Nilandhoo Vilingili

Gaafu Dhaalu	Fares-Maathodaa Fiyoaree Gaddhoo Hoandeddhoo Madaveli Nadellaa Rathafandhoo Thinadhoo Vaadhoo

Gnaviyani	Fuvammulah Dhadimagu Dhiguvaandu Dhoondigan Funaadu Hoadhadu Maadhadu Maalegan Miskiymagu

The capitals of each atoll are in bold. This list excludes first-level administrative divisions, Malé and Addu cities.

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