Malè ATOLL INFO

1. Kaashidhu Island, lies towards the eastern end of the channel to which it gives its name ('Kardiva Channel' in the Admiralty Chart). This island is surrounded by deep waters and there is generally heavy surf all around. It has an oval-shaped lagoon (vilu) with a narrow fringing reef on its NW side.

2. Gaafaru or Gahaafaru (Northern Reef) is a small island at the eastern end of a large elliptical reef that has proved disastrous to many vessels. Gaafaru reef is as much a separate atoll as Goidu or Rasdhu which are similar in structure and size. It is separated from Malé Atoll by a narrow but deep channel. Its lagoon has an average depth of 16 fathoms and has no coral patches or shoals in its centre..

3. North Malé Atoll is of irregular shape. It is 32 miles long and contains about 50 islands (including the capital Malé). There are also sandbanks, coral patches, innumerable farus and submerged shoals (called "haa" in Dhivehi. The general depths of the interior are between 25 and 35 fathoms. The bottom is sandy. There are numerous passages on all sides. Seen from space it is one of the most beautiful atolls on the planet.

4. South Malé Atoll is separated from North Malé Atoll by a deep channel (Vaadhu Kandu). Oblong in shape, this atoll is 20 miles in length. It contains 22 islands, nearly all situated in its eastern fringes. Inside this atoll there are also many reefs and little coral patches which make navigation difficult. The general depths of the lagoon are from 25 to 32 fathoms, sandy bottom.