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Huvadhu, Suvadive, Suvaidu or Suvadiva is the atoll with the most islands in the world. The atoll is located in the Indian Ocean. It is south of the Suvadiva Channel in the Republic of Maldives with a total area of 3,152 km2, of which 38.5 km2 is dry land. The atoll contains 255 islands.
It is the second largest atoll in the country, after Boduthiladhunmathi (consisting of Haa Alif, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani Atoll, and Noonu Atoll administrative divisions) which has smaller and fewer islands spread across a larger area.
Huvadu Atoll has been divided into two districts (administrative provinces) for administrative purposes since the 1970s. These divisions are Northern Huvadhu Atoll (Gaafu Alifu) in the north, and Southern Huvadhu Atoll (Gaafu Dhaalu).
During his journey to the Maldives, 14th century Muslim explorer Ibn Battuta stated in his journal that the Maldives was destitute of grain, except in the province of Souweid (Suvadiva or Huvadu) where they produced a cereal, a kind of Millet which was brought to Mahal.
The traditional seat of power in the Huvadhu was Thinadhoo until the division, after which Thinadhoo remained the Capital of South Huvadhu Atoll, and Villingili was instated as the capital of North Huvadhu Atoll.
The master carpenters of the iconic Male' Hukuru Miskiy were from Huvadu, Kondey island. They were Ali Maavadi Kaleyfaanu and Mahmud Maavadi Kaleyfaanu.Mauroof Jameel and Yahaya Ahmad (2016). Coral Stone Mosques of Maldives: The Vanishing Legacy of the Indian Ocean, p. 134. ORO Editions. .
The best quality mats of the Maldives are woven in this atoll, in the island of Gaddū. The local grass 'hau' is dyed in two colors, black and yellow.
Historically the Huvadu atoll chief based in Thinadhoo had a great measure of self-government. He even had the privilege, not granted to any other atoll chief of the Maldives, to fly his own flag in his vessels and at his residence. The flag of the Huvadu Atoll Chief was similar to the flag of Nepal in cut, with two central black triangles edged by red and white bands.* Divehi Tārīkhah Au Alikameh. Divehi Bahai Thagaafa Khiduma kura Qawmi Majlis. Male'.
There are many Buddhist archaeological remains in Huvadū. Therefore, it is likely that this was an important atoll in Maldivian history. None of these ancient remains have been properly investigated as yet.Xavier Romero-Frias, The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom. 1999,
Due to its strategic placement on the main sea route around southern India, Huvadhu and the other southern atolls have a long history of contact from mariners sailing the Indian Ocean through the centuries.
In some islands, like Gaddhoo, there was opposition to the secession, however through threats and coercion, the groups of people opposing the Suvadive state were forced to agree.
The republic collapsed when the island of Havaru Thinadhoo was depopulated, and all infrastructure burnt to the ground by the Maldivian military led by then Prime Minister Ibrahim Nasir in 1962, after which it was left uninhabited for four years. For the next 10 years, the seat of power was moved to Gaddhoo until Havaru Thinadhoo, since repopulated, was reinstated as the capital of Huvadhoo.
The main motivation for secession was stated to be disagreements with the centralized policies that were being enforced by Male' at the time.
It is named after Huvadu Atoll and is the broadest channel between the atolls of Maldives.
Because of the isolation from the Northern Atolls, and the capital of Malé, the Huvadhu dialect is significantly different from the other variants of the Maldive language, making much use of the retroflex 'Ţ' and allegedly retaining old forms of Dhivehi.
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