The United Suvadive Republic (Dhivehi: އެކުވެރި ސުވައިދީބު ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ) or Suvadive Islands was a short-lived breakaway nation in the remote Southern Atolls of the Maldive Islands, namely Addu Atoll, Huvadhu Atoll and Fuvammulah that geographically make up the Suvadive archipelago.
The name of this nation was originally an ancient name for the three southernmost atolls of the Maldives. Suvadive (Dhivehi: ސުވައިދީބު) is based on the ancient name for Huvadhu Atoll, which is by far the largest in the small southern atoll group if factHuvadhu\Suvadive atoll is the second largest atoll formation.[1] Huvadhu Atoll was also called Suadou by Pyrard[2]. Huvadhu atoll was marked as 'Suvadina' in Dutch colonial era Maps.
The Suvadive secession occurred within in the context of the struggle of the Maldives emerging as a modern nation, but still shackled by feudal and autocratic power structures. The alleged causes were the centralistic policies of the government in Malé and the recent independence of both neighboring countries, India and Ceylon. At that time the Maldives had remained a British protectorate. The Suvadives declared independence on January 3, 1959. They capitulated, rejoining the rest of the nation in September 23, 1963.
