For a long time, the Republic of Maldives was one of the best-kept secrets in the world; a beautiful string of low-lying
coral islands in the Indian Ocean, a
paradise for
watersports enthusiasts and
sunseekers alike. Now the islands are developing quickly to become an increasingly popular long-haul destination.
The country’s 26 natural atolls offer nautical delights from
night-fishing trips,
windsurfing and
scuba-diving. Many islands embrace
enormous lagoons, where bright blue-green water laps gently.
Yet, even in paradise,
trouble can bubble beneath the surface. It is precisely because the Maldives are so low-lying (80% of the territory is less than 1m/3.3ft above sea level), so transparent and perfect for
snorkeling, that their very existence is especially threatened by global warming. They are also particularly vulnerable to natural catastrophe, as shown in the devastating tsunami on 26 December 2004: of the Maldives’ 199 inhabited islands, 20 were completely destroyed.
These factors need to be seriously discussed by the international community in future years. Otherwise, paradise really might be lost.
GeographyThe Republic of Maldives consists of about 1,190 low-lying coral islands, of which only 200 are inhabited. Most of the inhabited islands are covered by lush tropical vegetation and palm trees, while the numerous uninhabited islands, some of which are mere sand spits or coral tips, are covered in shrubs. Each island is surrounded by a reef enclosing a shallow lagoon. Hundreds of these islands together with other coral growth form an atoll, surrounding a lagoon. All the islands are low-lying, none more than 2m (7ft) above sea level.
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