Alif Alif Atoll

Alif Alif Atoll (also known as Northern Ari Atoll or Ari Atholhu Uthuruburi) is an administrative division of the Maldives. It was created on March 1, 1984, combining northern section of Ari Atoll, the small Rasdhukuramathi Atoll, and the isolated island of Thoddoo. Many of the islands in this atoll have been inhabited since ancient times and have archaeological remains from the Maldivian Buddhist period.

The separation of Ari Atoll (formerly Alifu Atoll) into a Northern and a Southern section has formed the two most recent administrative divisions of the Maldives, namely Alifu Alifu Atoll and Alifu Dhaalu Atoll.

Geography
The North Ari Atoll administrative division consists of the northern part of the geographic or natural atoll Ari Atoll (described as Northern Ari Atoll in this context to differentiate from the official name of the administrative division), Rasdhukuramathi Atoll and Thoddoo Island. The atolls consist of Inhabited Islands and Uninhabited Island, a definition which includes resort islands, airport islands and industrial islands.

Inhabited islands
Maalhos: Maalhos is geographically the westernmost island of the atoll and the second-most westerly inhabited island of the Maldives after Maamakunudhoo. Vajrayana Buddhist remains have been found on this island.

Rasdhoo: Rasdhoo is the capital island of the North Ari Atoll administrative division. It has ferry connections with Malé as well as the other inhabited islands of the atoll. The island has several guesthouses catering to tourists visiting inhabited islands rather than resort islands.

Resort islands
Resort islands are classified as Uninhabited Islands which have been converted to become resorts. The following are the resort islands, with the official name of the resort.

Veligandu: Veligandu covers 22 acre and is 600 metres long. It is a holiday resort with 91 rooms and a snorkelling reef. A large number of workers at the resort come from Sri Lanka and India. The island is linked to Male by seaplane services.