Area Code 668 – Alifu Dhaalu

Overview

The +960 668 numbering range is a geographic area code assigned to the Alifu Dhaalu Atoll in the Republic of Maldives. As part of the national numbering plan under the Maldives Communications Authority (MCA), this code follows the ITU-T E.164 standard. The full international number format is +960 668 XXXX, where the subscriber number typically consists of four digits, making a total of seven digits after the country code.

Geographic Coverage

Alifu Dhaalu Atoll is located in the central region of the Maldives, approximately 100 kilometers south of the capital, Malé. The atoll comprises several inhabited islands, including Dhangethi, Dhidhdhoo, Himmafushi, and Mahibadhoo, which serves as the administrative capital. The area code 668 is allocated to fixed-line services within this atoll, providing PSTN connectivity to residential, governmental, and business subscribers across these islands.

Dialing Formats

For local callers within the Maldives, the number is dialed as 668 XXXX without the country code. When calling from abroad, the international format is +960 668 XXXX or 00960 668 XXXX depending on the international prefix used in the originating country. It is important to note that the Maldives uses a closed numbering plan; therefore, the area code must always be dialed, even for local calls within the same atoll.

Caller Instructions

• Local callers (within Maldives): Dial 668 followed by the four-digit subscriber number. Example: 668 1234.
• International callers: Dial your country's exit code (e.g., 00 from most European countries, 011 from the US), then the Maldives country code 960, then the area code 668 and the subscriber number. Example: 00 960 668 1234.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

As of the latest MCA updates, there are no overlay codes for Alifu Dhaalu Atoll. The 668 code is exclusively assigned to this geographic region. However, with the ongoing digital transformation and expansion of VoIP services, some numbers may be routed over IP networks, but the geographic significance remains unchanged for fixed-line services. Subscribers in this area may also have access to mobile services, which use separate non-geographic prefixes (e.g., 7xx, 9xx) and are not tied to the atoll.

Practical Example

If you are a business partner calling a hotel in Mahibadhoo from the United States, you would dial: 011 960 668 XXXX. For a local resident calling the same hotel from Malé, they would simply dial 668 XXXX.