ISL

Census 2022 · 186 inhabited islands · Maldives Bureau of Statistics

One country,
186 inhabited islands.

National statistics average away the thing that defines the Maldives: it is not one place but nearly two hundred, most of them small, each with its own population, age profile and labour market. The census publishes all of them separately, and this is that data island by island.

186

Inhabited islands in the atolls

excludes Malé City, resorts and industrial islands

236,911

People living on them

median island has 858

Islands losing population

of 186, between 2014 and 2022

23%

Young people not in work or study

aged 15–24, across the atoll islands

01 — Every inhabited island

186 islands, 236,911 people

The census reports every inhabited island separately. Half of them have fewer than 858 residents — Rakeedhoo in V has 76, while Hithadhoo has 13,759. Search by island or atoll, and sort by any column.

186

Inhabited islands in the atolls

excludes Malé City, resorts and industrial islands

858

Median island population

half are smaller than Fares-Maathodaa

13,759

Largest · Hithadhoo

Addu City

Smallest · Rakeedhoo

Felidhu Atoll

186 shown

Island	People ↓	Foreign %	Growth %/yr	Unemployed %	NEET %	Median age	People per km²
HithadhooS	13,759	19.4	+1.15	5.5	21.6	31	2,496
KulhudhuffushiHDh	10,131	7.9	+1.64	4.2	18.8	28	4,018
FuvahmulahGn	9,177	13.8	-0.12	5.0	22.6	31	1,854
ThinadhooGDh	6,217	13.6	+1.86	3.3	18.4	29	3,364
NaifaruLh	4,832	14.9	+0.97	4.4	22.9	32	8,289
GamuL	4,815	19.9	+4.04	4.7	21.8	28	791
MaafushiK	4,471	28.5	+2.55	0.6	12.5	29	10,748
FeydhooS	4,289	28.7	-0.17	7.3	22.8	33	3,506
DhidhdhooHA	3,412	8.4	+2.24	2.2	17.7	30	3,534
DhuvaafaruR	3,321	4.0	+1.10	6.5	47.4	27	6,077
KudahuvadhooDh	3,131	14.8	+2.34	2.2	14.1	30	1,891
FonadhooL	2,986	8.3	+3.45	5.6	28.7	30	1,740
ViligiliGA	2,900	12.3	+0.27	5.6	21.8	30	2,608
IhavandhooHA	2,873	6.1	+1.16	5.1	23.5	27	4,591
MaamigiliAdh	2,798	17.7	+1.29	2.4	20.3	30	1,463
HanimaadhooHDh	2,664	28.9	+1.99	0.9	22.0	30	875
EydhafushiB	2,581	10.2	-1.10	5.5	19.1	31	4,581
MahibadhooAdh	2,580	21.6	+0.62	1.7	15.6	31	10,933
MaradhooS	2,542	13.1	+0.44	4.7	21.3	32	4,227
KaashidhooK	2,528	27.5	+0.83	4.3	24.2	30	894
HinnavaruLh	2,286	6.0	-1.50	7.1	23.9	31	4,228
FunadhooSh	2,255	8.7	+0.26	4.1	23.3	30	1,841
MilandhooSh	2,094	6.3	+1.21	4.2	27.6	27	1,569
HimmafushiK	2,012	25.8	+1.46	2.5	21.1	32	3,040
NolhivaramuHDh	1,985	3.3	+0.60	3.5	44.2	25	962
ThoddooAA	1,924	20.5	+1.59	1.1	25.9	30	1,182
MeedhooS	1,892	7.9	+0.20	7.4	28.4	34	1,008
MeedhooR	1,872	7.2	+0.54	3.2	19.8	30	5,165
AlifushiR	1,859	19.5	-0.60	2.8	16.8	30	3,069
HoarafushiHA	1,841	10.2	-0.53	4.9	21.8	33	2,667
VelidhooN	1,832	14.0	-0.85	3.1	20.0	33	2,944
NilandhooF	1,823	9.5	+0.79	2.4	15.2	29	2,437
ThulusdhooK	1,801	34.0	+0.66	3.0	12.8	32	2,335
MaduvvariR	1,760	6.9	+2.06	2.6	32.0	29	7,744
UgoofaaruR	1,754	12.7	+1.26	1.4	19.4	29	4,852
ManadhooN	1,745	16.1	+1.54	3.9	26.1	31	1,574
GuraidhooK	1,743	10.0	-0.01	9.9	37.9	32	7,752
HuraaK	1,654	27.0	+2.18	1.3	15.9	31	3,144
ThulhaadhooB	1,625	9.5	+0.51	5.3	30.1	34	3,548
FoakaidhooSh	1,571	5.3	+1.51	12.6	29.0	25	2,317
KedhikulhudhooN	1,556	4.8	+1.78	3.9	24.1	29	744
HolhudhooN	1,428	9.2	-1.90	3.8	15.3	30	2,828
MulahM	1,426	9.4	+0.99	2.4	26.8	30	2,087
GadhdhooGDh	1,414	11.5	-1.29	4.5	17.3	32	2,410
Maradhoo-FeydhooS	1,398	10.7	+0.99	11.3	26.2	31	4,079
MaavahL	1,379	4.9	-0.80	2.9	34.0	31	3,457
VeymandooTh	1,321	10.4	+1.49	1.5	19.2	30	2,959
GemanafushiGA	1,318	9.4	+0.50	9.0	34.5	29	2,321
GaafaruK	1,294	7.6	+2.12	3.3	24.0	27	6,644
GuraidhooTh	1,293	8.0	-0.22	4.8	21.0	32	1,691
UkulhasAA	1,284	18.0	+1.68	1.5	15.4	27	5,406
RasdhooAA	1,282	15.9	+1.67	2.5	23.4	32	5,874
IguraidhooR	1,278	3.6	+1.16	1.8	24.3	31	2,713
DhiffushiK	1,270	19.6	+0.69	6.0	16.9	29	4,694
MakunudhooHDh	1,265	4.8	-0.09	2.4	17.7	30	1,567
NolhivaranfaruHDh	1,254	9.9	+1.66	14.0	27.0	31	722
ThimarafushiTh	1,229	15.1	-0.67	9.3	37.4	32	1,229
HulhudhuffaaruR	1,228	6.3	+0.80	6.2	20.2	31	2,019
MadaveliGDh	1,219	6.1	0.00	4.7	36.6	31	2,600
MaamendhooGA	1,201	9.2	+0.43	4.7	30.5	29	2,313
KaditheemuSh	1,193	4.1	+0.99	2.4	17.6	28	1,336
HulhudhooS	1,182	15.5	-1.25	9.7	23.2	36	876
KurendhooLh	1,171	11.4	-1.58	4.8	40.3	30	5,139
HirilandhooTh	1,146	13.1	+0.57	0.9	22.4	30	3,809
BaarahHA	1,141	7.7	-1.35	8.0	26.2	29	457
MeedhooDh	1,118	23.4	+0.01	3.4	20.0	29	3,434
KelaaHA	1,115	13.3	-0.87	4.7	19.8	33	548
HithadhooL	1,108	5.3	+0.74	6.1	39.8	28	1,052
DhiggaruM	1,099	10.5	+0.52	1.0	10.7	34	7,603
VilufushiTh	1,081	10.7	-0.14	1.2	17.2	32	1,796
DhaandhooGA	1,044	17.9	-2.04	1.0	22.4	32	3,308
NellaidhooHDh	1,038	4.6	+2.25	2.9	16.3	29	3,203
KendhooB	1,002	14.1	+0.47	4.7	24.1	29	5,269
FenfushiAdh	1,000	18.9	+1.39	3.5	28.6	31	3,900
KumundhooHDh	997	5.6	+1.16	9.9	38.9	30	524
DharavandhooB	997	17.6	+1.33	4.9	21.7	30	1,480
GulhiK	976	16.8	-0.29	4.5	17.7	30	8,650
BiledhdhooF	967	8.4	+0.26	3.4	13.7	28	3,061
MaakurathuR	956	7.1	+1.87	11.0	26.4	29	1,799
MuliM	949	19.0	-0.10	1.4	10.7	33	1,228
MaaugoodhooSh	944	5.2	+1.82	4.9	27.0	30	3,209
DhagethiAdh	936	23.3	+0.19	3.5	13.5	31	3,103
MiladhooN	934	8.2	+0.88	7.1	34.3	29	4,175
IsdhooL	929	7.6	-0.70	8.1	22.7	30	632
FeealiF	922	4.3	+1.10	5.3	34.2	26	5,215
KomandooSh	921	7.0	-2.59	4.6	17.4	33	4,156
MaafaruN	919	7.9	+2.42	6.3	22.6	29	687
OmadhooAdh	913	6.0	+0.27	1.8	38.9	27	4,000
HimandhooAA	885	14.8	+1.55	4.7	21.3	26	4,223
HoadedhdhooGDh	885	10.7	-0.16	4.5	19.8	30	798
MaamendhooL	879	10.5	-0.57	6.8	41.2	32	3,931
MathiveriAA	878	10.3	+2.94	2.3	21.8	28	3,807
MadifushiTh	858	9.2	+0.63	2.9	25.3	30	1,601
Fares-MaathodaaGDh	858	11.2	-3.70	3.2	34.4	32	1,761
FeydhooSh	854	8.6	+1.00	2.2	22.3	29	946
KolhufushiM	793	11.5	0.00	1.8	16.4	32	1,228
VaikaradhooHDh	776	10.4	-0.89	3.0	22.5	31	722
HulhudheliDh	764	10.3	+0.07	2.9	17.6	31	3,548
DhigurahAdh	761	29.3	+0.38	3.4	22.5	32	1,382
LandhooN	757	7.5	+0.89	5.0	23.5	28	868
HithaadhooB	744	9.4	+0.09	5.1	23.7	29	2,344
MaalhendhooN	724	6.9	+0.79	5.4	33.3	28	1,542
KibidhooTh	715	4.9	-1.18	8.4	18.3	32	1,873
BodufolhudhooAA	704	7.2	+1.40	3.6	22.0	29	5,635
OlhuvelifushiLh	703	6.8	+3.38	4.3	20.0	28	2,441
MagoodhooF	702	7.7	+2.95	3.5	28.3	29	2,854
FeevahSh	694	8.7	+0.42	3.5	13.4	31	793
LhohiN	692	11.7	+0.85	3.9	32.8	30	1,706
LhaimaguSh	684	17.5	+0.04	5.2	11.0	30	1,549
MaaeboodhooDh	679	4.3	+1.19	5.4	37.5	32	2,825
MaarandhooHA	668	7.2	-0.53	2.0	17.6	28	1,498
InnamaadhooR	663	20.4	+0.58	1.4	16.9	31	1,784
KalaidhooL	655	10.1	+0.81	3.6	11.2	28	307
DhiyamigiliTh	649	6.0	+2.22	5.0	27.3	29	2,212
NeykurendhooHDh	641	12.2	-2.83	0.6	19.2	32	373
KeyodhooV	641	18.9	-2.50	1.8	20.5	34	5,422
HenbadhooN	638	7.8	+2.67	1.3	17.1	29	4,611
FiyoariGDh	637	13.3	-2.77	1.7	25.5	33	789
KolamaafushiGA	636	17.9	-6.41	1.2	33.3	35	1,802
BadidhooDh	629	14.8	-3.59	6.3	23.0	30	2,516
KudafariN	628	12.3	+3.58	1.8	5.7	28	2,151
FelidhooV	620	18.9	+0.77	3.0	27.9	34	3,936
KanduhulhudhooGA	619	14.1	+0.70	10.7	30.2	30	1,915
UtheemuHA	612	6.7	+0.75	5.0	27.5	31	1,224
DhabidhooL	606	6.4	-1.16	5.7	30.3	30	1,124
KunahandhooL	601	3.3	-0.97	7.3	33.8	31	651
DhevvadhooGA	599	21.5	-0.87	0.9	17.0	33	2,580
GoidhooSh	592	9.1	+1.02	3.6	34.4	30	588
GoidhooB	583	12.9	+0.17	4.1	19.0	31	358
NadallaaGDh	581	6.7	-3.86	11.9	47.2	30	1,275
MaalhosB	572	13.6	+0.95	1.9	15.0	29	2,222
MaabaidhooL	565	12.4	-2.55	8.0	23.0	28	1,070
FilladhooHA	559	5.4	-0.76	4.1	26.3	32	210
KudarikiluB	557	19.0	+1.19	1.6	10.3	31	2,943
RasmaadhooR	554	10.8	0.00	2.1	17.3	33	2,076
KamadhooB	552	37.9	-0.36	3.6	16.7	30	2,586
NilandhooGA	545	9.9	-0.23	5.5	32.0	31	890
NarudhooSh	544	4.0	+1.29	3.7	19.7	29	1,273
FeridhooAA	544	9.6	+2.19	4.9	26.5	31	1,207
KinolhasR	543	8.3	+1.78	3.7	29.5	27	966
RasgetheemuR	537	11.9	-0.29	4.3	35.0	32	1,370
MuraidhooHA	534	7.5	+1.36	1.9	27.5	30	1,124
MaalhosAA	516	16.9	+0.63	3.9	13.5	29	1,590
VaadhooGDh	516	13.8	-4.95	5.1	27.9	31	266
KuburudhooAdh	509	5.5	+1.20	2.8	30.2	30	7,822
BilehffahiSh	502	5.2	+0.29	2.5	21.9	31	755
NaivaadhooHDh	495	11.9	+1.17	3.1	20.6	31	1,600
KuribiHDh	492	2.6	+0.95	2.3	11.3	29	1,200
HangnameedhooAdh	484	14.7	-1.88	2.2	17.1	33	2,383
KihaadhooB	481	7.5	+3.19	2.9	15.3	25	1,563
MaroshiSh	479	11.3	0.00	5.6	26.5	33	1,552
VashafaruHA	476	14.7	-0.51	5.0	27.9	32	1,337
KadoodhooTh	456	16.0	+0.43	2.9	12.9	34	557
DharaboodhooF	455	13.6	+0.32	3.5	17.3	29	1,135
VaadhooR	452	8.2	+1.27	4.6	32.2	30	1,184
RathafandhooGDh	431	15.1	-4.25	3.6	28.8	33	1,052
NaalaafushiM	430	9.8	-0.57	2.6	30.6	34	3,322
ThuraakunuHA	427	11.0	-0.42	0.5	17.1	34	1,630
FainuR	423	8.8	+2.99	9.2	15.9	32	685
MandhooAdh	418	31.6	-0.35	1.4	13.8	31	1,086
OmadhooTh	417	7.2	-0.87	1.5	28.8	30	1,128
BuruniTh	414	14.0	+1.65	6.1	22.2	32	1,215
FineyHDh	409	5.9	-0.10	2.5	20.6	30	348
UligamuHA	400	11.0	-0.38	7.3	44.1	29	375
FulidhooV	400	26.5	-1.18	3.0	15.7	31	3,358
DhonfanuB	398	8.5	+0.17	5.9	35.4	31	2,300
AgolhitheemuR	381	8.4	-0.83	3.6	11.5	31	956
NoomaraaSh	371	7.8	+0.18	3.2	27.0	29	946
VandhooTh	364	15.1	+1.46	0.0	20.0	30	1,405
FodhdhooN	345	20.6	+3.03	1.1	8.9	32	1,318
FulhadhooB	341	29.6	+4.02	2.5	7.0	32	1,165
KodeyGA	328	15.8	+0.84	1.2	34.2	30	275
MaduvvariM	318	18.6	-3.77	2.8	11.5	34	2,623
GaadhiffushiTh	317	16.4	+1.29	4.0	26.1	33	2,241
RibudhooDh	316	12.0	+1.33	3.7	8.3	33	1,828
MagoodhooN	305	6.9	+1.50	3.9	16.7	27	825
VeyvahM	304	22.7	+0.66	1.5	4.8	31	723
HirimaradhooHDh	293	11.9	-2.46	6.8	38.5	32	629
MulhadhooHA	286	14.3	+1.35	1.1	8.0	32	240
ThakandhooHA	279	13.6	-4.16	0.0	30.4	38	675
ThinadhooV	258	71.3	+0.88	0.4	2.9	31	2,066
FehendhooB	198	13.1	+6.91	8.5	44.8	32	787
MundooL	176	20.4	-5.77	7.1	22.2	29	728
RaimandhooM	171	28.6	+1.18	0.9	0.0	35	602
DhidhdhooAdh	141	22.0	-2.75	4.1	37.5	34	694
RakeedhooV	76	18.4	-6.11	5.3	0.0	45	1,184

Administrative islands in the atolls; excludes Male' City, resorts and industrial islands. Growth is the annual rate of change in the Maldivian resident population between the 2014 and 2022 censuses. NEET is the share of 15–24 year olds not in employment, education or training.

02 — Which islands are emptying

62 of 186 islands are losing people

Between the 2014 and 2022 censuses the Maldivian population fell on 62 islands — 33% of them — and rose on 120. The islands that are shrinking are home to 63,707 people between them, which is where the migration to Malé shows up at ground level.

Islands losing population

out of 186 inhabited islands

120

Islands gaining

Maldivian residents, 2014 to 2022

-6.41%

Fastest decline · Kolamaafushi

North Huvadhu Atoll, per year

+6.91%

Fastest growth · Fehendhoo

South Maalhosmadulu, per year

The steepest declines and rises

Annual rate of change in the Maldivian resident population between the two censuses. A rate rather than a headcount, so a small island losing thirty people ranks alongside a large one losing hundreds.

Source: Census 2022 — island level population · released September 2023 ⎋

Island size against population change

Every inhabited island: how many people live there, and whether that number is rising or falling. The smallest islands scatter widest — on an island of two hundred, a single family leaving is a percentage point — but the weight of the distribution sits below the zero line at every size.

Source: Census 2022 — island level population · released September 2023 ⎋

03 — Where there is no work

On Dhuvaafaru, 47% of young people are neither working nor studying

The census measures the labour force island by island. Unemployment averages 4.3% across the atoll islands — but that average hides a range from under 1% to 14%. The NEET rate, which counts 15–24 year olds neither in work nor in education or training, is the harsher measure and runs at 23%.

4.3%

Unemployment across the atoll islands

the census put the national rate at 3%

23%

Young people not in work, education or training

aged 15–24, population weighted

14.0%

Highest unemployment · Nolhivaranfaru

South Thiladhunmathi

129 of 186

Islands where women’s unemployment is higher

than men’s on the same island

The eighteen islands with the highest unemployment

Unemployment rate among resident population, census 2022. The gold line is the population-weighted average across all 186 islands — most islands sit below it, and a minority carry rates several times higher.

Source: Census 2022 — island level labour force · released October 2023 ⎋

Where the gap between women and men is widest

Unemployment for women and for men on the same island. Women are worse off on 129 of the 186 islands where both are reported, and on the islands shown here the difference runs to double digits — a gap that a national average of a few percent completely conceals.

Source: Census 2022 — island level labour force · released October 2023 ⎋

A note on reading these rates. On an island of three hundred people the labour force might be a hundred and fifty, so one person finding or losing work moves the rate by most of a percentage point — the smallest islands will always look the most volatile, and a single high figure there is not the same kind of evidence as a high figure on an island of three thousand. The population of each island is in the tooltip and the table for exactly that reason. All figures are the resident population as counted on census night, September 2022.