Maldives ecosystems
The Maldives is a unique nation consisting of 1,192 islands spread across 26 atolls in the Indian Ocean, making it one of the smallest countries in the world. Notably, it is among the lowest-lying countries, with an average elevation of just 5 feet above sea level, making it highly vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels. The islands feature diverse ecosystems, including coral reefs that are home to about 250 species of corals, over 2,000 species of fish, and various marine life such as turtles and rays. The terrestrial environment supports a limited number of plant species, primarily coconut palms and mangroves, with only 12% of the islands hosting mangrove vegetation.
Despite their ecological richness, the Maldives faces significant environmental challenges, particularly from human activities and climate change, which lead to coral degradation and habitat destruction. The country's economy is heavily reliant on tourism and fisheries, sectors that have been threatened by natural disasters, including the devastating tsunami in 2004. Efforts are underway to mitigate these environmental issues, including international appeals for climate action and discussions about potential relocation due to rising sea levels. The Maldives' rich biodiversity and cultural heritage are intertwined with its ecological health, making the preservation of its ecosystems a critical concern for both its people and the global community.
Maldives ecosystems
- Category: Marine and Oceanic Biomes
- Geographic Location: Indian Ocean
- Summary: One of the world’s smallest nations, consisting of 1,192 islands, the Maldives is known for its rich coral ecosystem but is threatened by rising sea levels because of global warming.
The Maldives is one of the smallest nations in the world. The name derives from the Sanskrit word Dhivehi, meaning “island.” The Dutch called it the Maldivische Eilanden, and the British gave it the name Maldive Islands, which has become Maldives. As a nation, it consists of 1,192 islands spread over 332,000 square miles (859,000 square kilometers) in the Indian Ocean. The islands are spread across twenty atolls approximately 440 miles (708 kilometers) southwest of Sri Lanka and 250 miles (402 kilometers) southwest of India. Less than 200 islands are inhabited, of which fewer than thirty are greater than 247 acres (100 hectares) in area.
Maldives is among the lowest-lying countries in the world, with an average ground altitude of only 5 feet (1.5 meters) above sea level. Because of this vulnerability, some of the islands are washed away regularly, even with a small rise in seawater. The total population of the country is about 388,800; about 70 percent of the inhabited islands each have a population of less than 1,000. The capital and largest city, Malé, has a population of about 177,000 people. For administrative purposes, the islands are grouped into seven provinces.
Climate and Biota
The Maldive islands has a tropical climate regulated by the easterly and westerly monsoons. The average daily temperature is about 82 Fahrenheit (28 Celsius) with a consistently high humidity of around 80 percent. The Maldives has very little land or land-based natural resources, and less than 10 percent of the land is arable. The inland soils are saline and in a very thin layer; only 150 islands, or 12 percent of the total, support mangrove vegetation.
The terrestrial environment includes 500 species of higher plants, two species of amphibians, sixty-seven species of butterflies, six species of reptiles, five species of mammals, and 130 species of insect. Altogether, over 200 species of birds have been reported, five of which were identified as endemic: Maldivian pond heron, whiter tern, lesser frigate, black-naped tern, and red-footed booby. The most common trees are coconut, palms, dhigga, kaani, kandoo, midhili, and banyan. Along the shorelines, over twenty different species of grass grow. The common crops in Maldives are papaya, banana, tomato, watermelon, breadfruit, and chili.
The environment of Maldives is aquatic. The atolls are alive with coral reefs and sand bars that act as natural barriers against the sea. The coral biodiversity includes about 250 species of branching corals, five species of turtles, fifty-one species of echinoderms, around 5,000 species of mollusks, and 1,000 species of crustaceans. There are also five species of seagrasses and 285 species of alga and sponges. The region also includes more than 2,000 species of fish, reef sharks, moray eels, sea turtles, and different varieties of rays.
The rich diversity in the reefs attracts thousands of tourists to the islands. The Maldives is considered one of the top places for coral exploration. However, the coral reefs and the islands have faced several severe environmental challenges. The main damage to the islands is from climate change and human activities. Climate change has resulted in rising sea levels and intensified frequency of cyclones and storms. An increasing sea level will continue to affect coral reefs, nutrient circulation, and fisheries. Impacts from human activities include coral degradation, water pollution, coastal habitat destruction, and over-fishing. Threatened by pervasive climate change, the government of Maldives has appealed to international institutions and governments to decrease greenhouse gases. Maldives was the first nation to sign the Kyoto Protocol in 1998. The protocol was an international agreement adopted in 1997 and set into force in 2005 that set legally binding targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol was the first international treaty to set legally binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It was based on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Kyoto Protocol was superseded by the Paris Agreement, which entered into force in 2016.
Culture, Politics, and Economy
The culture of Maldivians is very similar to that of South Indian and Sri Lankan cultures. The official language, Dhivehi, is closely related to Sinhalese language used in Sri Lanka. Historically, Maldivians have shared religious beliefs similar to those of neighboring cultures. However, in 1153, Arabs conquered Maldives and converted it into a Muslim nation. The Arabs also established a monarchy, under which the sultanate ruled the country from 1153 to 1968. During the latter period of the sultanate, from 1887 to 1965, the British colonized the island state under a contract to protect its sovereignty. In 1968, Maldives became a republic, replacing the monarchy; Ibrahim Nasir became the new republic's first president. From its beginning, the new republic was mired in political instability. This resulted in Moumoon Abdul Gayoom ousting Nasir as the president in 1978. Moumoon then ruled the country for thirty years (1978–2008); Mohammed Nasheed (2008–2012) replaced him and was, in turn, ousted, with Vice President Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik stepping in as president.
The literacy rate in the Maldives is nearly 98 percent, and the average life expectancy is over seventy-seven years. In 2023, the real per capita gross domestic product (GDP) was $22,400. According to the Maldives government, the nation's economy depends on four sectors: tourism, fisheries, agriculture, and the garment industry. Of them, tourism and fisheries are the main drivers. The government opened the first tourist resort in 1972 in an effort to diversify its economy away from its dependence on fisheries. Tourism provides about 30 percent of the total GDP of the Maldives. To attract more tourists, around 165 islands have been developed as tourist resorts—Maldivians are not allowed to settle in these tourist islands.
The fishery sector contributes between 11 and 15 percent of the GDP. The bulk of the revenue from fisheries (80 percent) comes from the export of tuna and tuna products. This dependence on just two sectors has made Maldives vulnerable socially and economically. Fluctuations in international trade and natural disasters have revealed this vulnerability. The 2004 tsunami and 9.1-magnitude earthquake devastated the country, all but destroying its tourism and fishing industries. The total damage was estimated to be more than $400 million. Climate change has also impacted the fishing industry in the Maldives, with warming waters and changes in currents altering the migration habits and natural habitats of marine life.
Resettlement on the Horizon
Beginning in the early 2000s, Former President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives discussed the possibility of buying land in neighboring nations and relocating the entire population. The government identified three nations as the potential destinations: India, Sri Lanka, and Australia. How this transition would occur was not defined. However, as climate change continues to cause sea level rises, some islands may become uninhabitable, rendering the Maldives citizens climate refugees.
The government is also encouraging reforestation of its coastal areas and cleaning and preventing litter in the sea. Environmental education is one of the government's top priorities; various studies have investigated the impact of climate change on the environment. In 2022, a Dutch contractor announced plans for a controversial project to combat the effects of rising sea levels. To reclaim lost land, the company plans to use sand from a lagoon to create new land, on which three new island resorts will be built. The project is controversial because of concerns about its impact on a biosphere reserve, which is an area that is protected to maintain genetic diversity.
The Maldives was the first country in Asia and the first Small Island Developing State to join the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative launched by the United Nations in 2022. In early 2024, the country released its EW4ALL Roadmap, compiled by the United Nations Resident Coordinator's Office, the Maldivian Red Crescent, the Maldives Meteorological Service, the National Disaster Management Authority, and the National Centre for Information Technology. According to estimates, the country needed between $2 and $4 billion US dollars to combat flooding and prevent the islands from succumbing to the rising sea and changing climate.
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