Global - Technology - Review

The Maldives are a group of over a thousand islands in the Indian Ocean. Mainly coral atolls, they cover an area of 90,000 thousand square kilometres, but their land surface is less than three hundred. The Maldives is the lowest country on earth. The highest point is only just over two metres. This makes the nation particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels caused by climate change. The islands suffered widespread devastation in the 2004 tsunami. Six islands were destroyed and several more had to be evacuated. Apart from palms and mangrove there is little vegetation, owing to the salinity of the soil. Historically the islands’ wealth was based on fishing, coconut products and cowrie shells, once used as a currency, however today tourism is the major industry. 600,000 tourists visit the 89 resorts each year. The coral reefs of the Maldives are home to a wide variety of marine species, and the sandy beaches and clear waters have made the islands a prime scuba diving site. The capital, Male, is spread over three islands. Waste is used to fill in the lagoons, to create more space for building. Coconuts and fish have always been major elements in the cuisine.