- Summary sheet for the Maldives as an example of a coastline of submergence, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and the impact of climate change on coasts
- As required as an example in the a-level aqa geography specification
- Key details, statistics and diagrams
- A* grade
The Maldives is an archipelago nation situated in the Indian Ocean. It is a
beltway of 1200 islands, within 26 concentric atolls from the south-west
of India, down to the equator. Over 99% of the area the sovereign controls
is ocean, and only 300 km² of habitable land.
Only 340,000 people live in the Maldives, one third of these live in the
capital city Male’, which is extremely densely populated. The other islands
are also inhabited but follow a more traditional strict Islamic and self-
sufficient lifestyle. In 2008, Mohamed Nasheed was elected as the first
democratic president, after a long-term dictatorship under President
Maumoon Gayoom.
The Maldives has a luxury tourism sector as it is one of the most
picturesque locations in the world.
The impact of climate change
The highest point in the entire archipelago is only
2.4 metres above sea level. As sea levels are
expected to rise, the future of the Maldives is
uncertain, and it could be completely wiped off the
map. It is estimated that by 2100, the Maldives will
be unhabitable. Sea level rise threatens to destroy
the coral ecosystem, which many people depend
upon. The 2004 tsunami was a reminder of the
likely impacts and sent the Maldives back to being
one of the least developed countries. The country
is exposed to the risks of intensifying weather
events such as damage caused by extreme winds,
What is an atoll? and flooding from storms. Future sea level is
projected to rise between 10 to 100 cm by the year
Atolls develop as sea levels rise and are ring
2100.
shaped coral reefs. As submarine volcanoes
became submerged due to the weight of the Over 80 per cent of the land area
volcano, the coral reef grows upwards. of Maldives is less than one meter above
Lagoons can form in the centre. It is a slow mean sea level!
process that occurs over millions of years.
Environmental Threats:
• Beach erosion
• Disease (e.g. stagnant water = mosquitoes)
• Sea level rise
• Coral reef destruction e.g. bleaching
• Extreme weather events
• Dwindling fish stocks
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