Hithadhoo (Addu)

Hithadhoo

ހިތަދޫ
Hithadhoo ހިތަދޫ
District of Addu City
	Equatorial Convention Centre, located in Hithadhoo
	Hithadhoo Location in Maldives Hithadhoo Hithadhoo (Asia)
	Coordinates: 0°36′34″S 73°05′24″E / 0.609429°S 73.089931°E
Country	Maldives
Geographic atoll	Addu Atoll
Distance to Malé	531 km (330 mi)
Area
• Total	5.4 km2 (2.1 sq mi)
Population (2014)
• Total	10,398
• Density	1,900/km2 (5,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+05:00 (MST)

Hithadhoo (

Dhivehi: ހިތަދޫ) is a district of Addu City, in the Maldives. Hithadhoo is the main administrative district of Addu City, with many of the administrative buildings in this district. The town is situated on the island of the same name, the westernmost of Addu Atoll (previously known as Seenu Atoll). In terms of population count, Hithadhoo is home to the largest population in Addu City. According to the 2014 Census, with 11,129 residents,^[1] Hithadhoo also has the largest population of any administrative island in Maldives, a category that excludes the much larger national capital, Malé

.

Geography

The island is 531.12 km (330 mi; 287 nmi) south of the country's capital, Malé.^[2] Hithadhoo is the second largest island in the Maldives, with a surface area of 540 ha (5.4 km²; 2.1 sq mi). It has a length of 6.8 km (4.2 mi) and a width of 1.8 km (1.1 mi) at its widest point.

The part of the island south of the town is lushly vegetated with palms and

scrubland, which can be explored only on narrow trails. Hithadhoo Town is marked by dusty roads, narrow lanes, leaning houses and dense vegetation. Island traffic is generally quite colourful, particularly when hundreds of island school children dressed in a multitude of differently coloured school uniforms

are queueing up for the bus.

Population

According to the 2014 census, Hithadhoo has a population of some 11,129 residents,

Dhivehi language

, is spoken by most of the people who live here. Addu dialect is closely related to dialects spoken on nearby atolls. It is also the second most spoken dialect in the whole Maldives after Malé dialect.

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
2006	9,465	—
2014	10,398	+9.9%
2006-2014: Census populations Source: ^[3]

Economy

Youth (15–20) Unemployment Rate is at a high 46% (37% Male: 54% Female) and Proportion of population having telephone is 96%.[4]^[when?]

Services

Education

Hithadhoo has a number of educational institutions; 3

Feydhoo attend sharafuddin School, a secondary school on Hithadhoo, to complete their O-level studies. Several students from other atolls like Fuvahmulah

attend secondary schools on Hithadhoo in order to have a better education than can be had on their home islands.

Healthcare

The government has provided the residents with a hospital. This hospital has a regional function and provides around-the-clock care. Most residents of neighbouring islands visit Hithadhoo Regional Hospital to receive treatment for their ailments. People from atolls and islands further afield, such as Fuvammulah and Huvadhu Atoll also occasionally visit to receive medical treatment, although most opt for hospitals in the Southern Indian state of Kerala which provides a much wider range of facilities than available in Maldives. Apart from this, there are some private clinics like Eye Care Clinic. Eye Care is a reputed private organization in Maldives for its quality service with qualified Ophthalmologists and Optometrists and branded items. It is the largest eye-care provider in Maldives with its six outlets in different parts of the country including the one in S. Hithadhoo.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Table PP5: Resident Population by sex, nationality and locality (administrative islands), 2014" (PDF). Population and Households Census 2014. National Bureau of Statistics. p. 35. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
^ "Coordinate Distance Calculator". Boulter.com. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
^ "Table 3.3: Total Maldivian Population by Islands" (PDF). National Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
^ Hithadhoo - Inhabited Island - Seenu Atoll. isles.egov.mv

External links

Addu tourist board site
Addu Atoll Pictures
Hithadhoo - Inhabited Island - Seenu Atoll isles.egov.mv

[SM2015-1] "Table PP5: Resident Population by sex, nationality and locality (administrative islands), 2014" (PDF). Population and Households Census 2014. National Bureau of Statistics. p. 35. Retrieved 7 August 2018.

[2] "Coordinate Distance Calculator". Boulter.com. Retrieved 7 August 2018.

[3] "Table 3.3: Total Maldivian Population by Islands" (PDF). National Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 7 August 2018.

[4] Hithadhoo - Inhabited Island - Seenu Atoll. isles.egov.mv

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