Gan, Addu Atoll
| Gan | |
|---|---|
| Inhabited island | |
Addu Atoll seen from space. Gan lies at the end of the continuous reef fringing Addu from the west and southwest
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 1976 map of Addu Atoll showing Gan and airfield |
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 Gan
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| Coordinates: 00°41′40″S 073°09′18″E / 0.69444°S 73.15500°ECoordinates: 00°41′40″S 073°09′18″E / 0.69444°S 73.15500°E | |
| Country | Maldives |
| Geographic atoll | Addu Atoll |
| Distance to Malé | 258.48 km (160.61 mi) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.256 km2 (0.871 sq mi) |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | 1.000 km (0.621 mi) |
| • Width | 0.330 km (0.205 mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 1,104 |
| • Density | 490/km2 (1,300/sq mi) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC+05:00) |
Gan (Div: ގަން) is the southernmost island of Addu Atoll (previously also known as Seenu Atoll), as well as the southernmost island of the Maldives. It is relatively large by Maldive standards.
The origin of the word "Gan" is in the Sanskrit word "Grama", meaning "village".
Gan is the second largest island of the atoll, after Hithadhoo, and measures 2.2561 square kilometres (0.87 sq mi) in area. Gan was formerly inhabited, but its inhabitants were moved to neighbouring islands after the British naval and airbase was built. It has had continuous human habitation since very ancient times. There were large cultivated fields of yams, manioc and coconut trees on this island. A former havitta at island's east end had to be removed to build the runway.
Gan has now a hotel catering for tourists and is connected by causeways to the neighbouring islands of Feydu, Maradu and Hithadhoo.
This island is not to be confused with two other Maldive islands called "Gan", Gan (Huvadhu Atoll) and Gan (Laamu Atoll).
In 1922 H. C. P. Bell visited this island and investigated the ancient Buddhist ruins there. These included the foundations of a temple (vihara) and a mound or low hill which was a very ruined stupa. Gan's ruins were the remains of the southernmost Buddhist site of the Maldives. The mound, as well as the foundations of the nearby vihara, were bulldozed when the airport was built.
In 1941, during the Second World War, the Royal Navy established a base ("Port T"). An isolated island base with a safe, deep anchorage in a suitably strategic position was required, and Addu met the requirements. Once available, its facilities were used extensively by the Fleet.
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