North Male

North Male
  • STS081-E-5863
  • 21 January 1997

Situated upon the eastern chain of atolls, North Male is located 4 km north, across the Vaadhoo Kandu channel, from South Male atoll and 48 km northeast from Ari atoll. Together with the atolls of South Male and Gaafaru and the island of Kaashidhoo it forms the Kaafu (Male) Atoll administrative unit. North Male is home to the Maldives main population centre and capital, also called Malé.

The atoll, measuring 60 km in length and with a maximum width across the centre of 39 km, has an approximately oval shape with a large bulge on the eastern side. The outer rim consists of around 40 major reefs segments — generally larger and more elongate in form on the eastern side of the atoll — that enclose an expansive and deep lagoon studded throughout with faros reefs, coral heads and patches. The largest of the outer reefs is that of Dhiffushi Falhu, measuring some 13 km in length.


image: earth sciences and image analysis laboratory, nasa johnson space center

additional images

tools