Raa Atoll

Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi ( North Maalhosmadulu, Dhivehi: މ ާ ޅ ޮ ސ ް މ ަ ޑ ު ލ ު އ ު ތ ު ރ ު ބ ު ރ ި ), with the Thaana abbreviation ރ ( Raa ), is an administrative atoll ( district ) in the Maldives. The population is approximately 14750 (2006 ).

The administrative area belongs to the province Uthuru ( North) and includes two natural atolls of the western atoll chain of the Maldives: the eponymous North Maalhosmadulu atoll with over 80 islands and the north of this location, with only two islands ( inhabited one of them ) tiny Alifushi Atoll ( Powell Islands ).

Directly to the south and only through the narrow Moresby Channel ( Hani Kandu ) separated close to the Central and South Maalhosmadulu Atoll, part of the district Baa. Other neighboring districts are Noonu and Shaviyani (both Miladhunmadulu Atoll ) in the east. The distance to the capital Malé is approximately 170 km.

15 islands are inhabited, besides the administrative capital Ungoofaaru are the Alifushi, Angolhitheemu, Dhuvaafaru, Fainu, Hulhudhuffaaru, Inguraidhoo, Innamaadhoo, Kinolhas, Maakurathu, Maduvvaree, Meedhoo, Rasgetheemu, Rasmaadhoo and Vaadhoo.

The administrative Raa Atoll belonged to the late 1990s to the areas where tourism was not allowed. Due to the remote location has since slowly begun the development of tourism, the island is currently the only hotel Meedhupparu ( opened in 2000 ).