Kelaa ކެލާ |
|
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Island | |
Location in Maldives | |
Coordinates: 6°57′35″N 73°12′46″E / 6.95972°N 73.21278°ECoordinates: 6°57′35″N 73°12′46″E / 6.95972°N 73.21278°E | |
Country | Maldives |
Geographic atoll | Thiladhunmathi Atoll |
Administrative atoll | Haa Alif Atoll |
Distance to Malé | 308.54 km (191.72 mi) |
Government | |
• Council | Kelaa Island Council |
Dimensions | |
• Length | 3.06 km (1.90 mi) |
• Width | 1.04 km (0.65 mi) |
Population (2006) | |
• Total | 1,200 |
Time zone | MST (UTC+05:00) |
Area code(s) | 650, 20 |
Kelaa (Dhivehi: ކެލާ) is one of the inhabited islands of Haa Alif Atoll and geographically part of Thiladhummathi Atoll in the north of the Maldives. It is an island-level administrative constituency governed by the Kelaa Island Council.
In 1934, the British established a staging post here and until the end of World War II, it functioned as the northerly counterpart to RAF Gan in the south of the country. A mosque built during the reign of Sultan Mohamed Ibn Ali (Muhammad Mohyeddine) (AD 1692-1701) of the Utheemy Dynastry still stands today as a historical place of interest on the island. This was the king who re-established the Islamic penal code.