Context of the Malives

Coastal Systems

Context for the Maldives

• South Asia

• The lowest lying land in the world (average height is 1.5m)

• 1,200 islands

• 26 coral atolls

• Just over 500,000 people, 40% live in the capital city (Malé)

Archipelago

A group or chain of islands clustered together in the sea or ocean. The most common cause is volcanic activity

Atolls

A ring-shaped coral reef that encircles a central lagoon, forming around a submerged volcanic island. A volcanic island slowly subsides, while a coral reef continues to grow upwards

Fish Migration

• The movement of fish across geographic areas, involves journeys between different habitats

• Between 2006 & 2011, tuna catches fell by 40% due to global warming and fish migration

Opportunities

• Tourism 

• Fishing 

Challenges

• Rising sea levels

• Rising sea temperatures → ocean acidification → coral bleaching → coastal erosion (90%)