The island of Nilandu at the southern tip of the atoll is well known to Maldivian historians.
Only five out of the 23 islands in the atoll are inhabited( 2,000 inhabitants)
and one has been selected for development as a tourist resort. Almost all the islands are on the
eastern side of this atoll.
The geography of the interior of the atoll is similar to that of Ari Atoll, with
a number of patch reefs and small submerged thilas.
Nilandu, at the southern tip of the atoll is well known to Maldivian historians as it was
here that it was discovered that the island was a centre of Hindu worship at one
stage before the conversion to Islam.
There is a 800-year-old mosque on the island built by Sultan Mohamed Ibn
Abdhulla, who was responsible for converting the country to Islam.
It was discovered that at one stage the island was a centre of Hindu worship before the
conversion to Islam. There were probably seven Hindu temples on the island. More
important for today’s Maldivian is the 800-year-old mosque on the island built
by Sultan Mohamed Ibn Abdhulla, who was responsible for converting the country
to Islam. This mosque was built using stones from the older Hindu temples.
Inside, it is decorated with fine Arabic writings.