Ihavandhoo

Ihavandhoo lies in Haa Alif Atoll, at the northern end of the Maldives, within what is geographically known as Ihavandhippolhu Atoll — the country's northernmost natural atoll. According to the 2022 census, the island has a resident population of 2,866, making it one of the more populous islands in this part of the country. It sits some 315 km from Malé, and is reached by domestic flight or local ferry.

The island has long been built around fishing, and this remains its defining trade: Ihavandhoo is a significant contributor to the Maldives' tuna exports, both chilled and frozen, as well as dried fish, and the government-run Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company operates in the area. Alongside fishing, the island is known for local boat building, a skill closely tied to its maritime economy. Soil erosion has been noted as an ongoing environmental concern for islanders.

Ihavandhoo carries a notable place in Maldivian history: it is said to be the birthplace of the mother of Mohamed Thakurufaanu, the national hero credited with ending Portuguese rule in the Maldives. The island's oldest surviving structure is a mosque built in 1701 by Sultan Ibrahim Muhirudheen from brain coral, which through subsequent restoration remains the only archaeological trace of the island's past. A 50-bed health centre was established in 2003, and the local school, opened in 1969, has grown from a community-run madharusaa into a government school offering education through to higher secondary level, including GCE Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations.