The Republic of Maldives (Dhivehi in its own language) occupies a chain of 26 atolls oriented north to south in the Indian Ocean southwest of the southern tip of India. The islands have a population of about 400,000. The islands are quite low, having an average elevation of only 1.5 m (5 ft) above normal high tide. As a result the islands are vulnerable to inundation by rising sea levels associated with global climate change. It's worth mentioning that our word atoll comes from the Dhivehi (Maldivian) atholhu. The Maldives have no traditional lighthouses. The major navigational aids of the islands are all small skeletal towers like the one shown at right. Photos of these towers are quite rare on the Internet. The Dhivehi (Maldivian) name for a lighthouse or beacon is also the word for a fire: 'alifān. Navigational aids in the Maldives are presumably maintained by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.
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![]() Raimmandhoo Light, Mulak, December 2008 ex-Panoramio Creative Commons photo by Ahmed Shaail Nasym |
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Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: North: Lakshadweep | Northeast: Kerala and Karnataka | South: British Indian Ocean Territory
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Posted January 30, 2015. Checked and revised August 7, 2024. Lighthouses: 10. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.