Gaafaru (Dhivehi: ގާފަރު) is one of the inhabited islands of Kaafu Atoll, the only island of the natural atoll known as Gaafaru.

Gaafaru
ގާފަރު
Gaafaru Atoll (Landsat image)
Gaafaru Atoll (Landsat image)
Gaafaru is located in Maldives
Gaafaru
Gaafaru
Location in Maldives
Coordinates: 04°44′10″N 73°29′55″E / 4.73611°N 73.49861°E / 4.73611; 73.49861
CountryMaldives
Administrative atollKaafu Atoll
Distance to Malé62.03 km (38.54 mi)
Dimensions
 • Length0.525 km (0.326 mi)
 • Width0.450 km (0.280 mi)
Population
 (2022)[1]
 • Total
1,294 (including foreigners)
Time zoneUTC+05:00 (MST)

Geography

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The island is 62.03 km (39 mi; 33 nmi) north of the country's capital, Malé.[2]

Gahaafaru Atoll

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Gahaafaru or Gaafaru (Northern Reef) is a large elliptical reef with only a small inhabited island at its eastern end. This reef has proved disastrous to many vessels. Gaafaru reef is as much a separate atoll as Goifulhafehendhu Atoll or Rasdhukuramathi Atoll which are similar in structure and size. It is separated from Kagi (the northernmost island of North Malé Atoll) by a narrow but deep channel - the Gaafaru Kandu. Its lagoon has an average depth of 16 fathoms (30 m) and has no coral patches or shoals in its centre. Gaafaru is a small island surrounded by a big reef.

Demography

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Historical population
YearPop.±%
2006 800—    
2014 1,066+33.2%
2015 1,377+29.2%
2016 1,409+2.3%
2017 1,452+3.1%
2018 1,478+1.8%
2019 1,510+2.2%
2020 1,532+1.5%
2021 1,566+2.2%
2022 1,588+1.4%
2023 1,614+1.6%
2006-2023: Census populations
Source: [1][3]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Table P3: Resident Population by place of enumeration and by island, 2014-2022" (PDF). Maldives Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Coordinate Distance Calculator". Boulter.com. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  3. ^ "Table 3.3: Total Maldivian Population by Islands" (PDF). National Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  • Divehi Tārīkhah Au Alikameh. Divehi Bahāi Tārikhah Khidmaiykurā l Markazu. Reprint 1958 edn. Malé 1990.
  • Divehiraajjege Jōgrafīge Vanavaru. Muhammadu Ibrahim Lutfee. G.Sōsanī.
  • Xavier Romero-Frias, The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom. Barcelona 1999.l