Editing Coast (section)

=== Human settlements ===
{{Further|Port|island nation|Coastal management|Coastal development hazards}}
[[File:The CHW system.png|thumb|upright=1.4|The Coastal Hazard Wheel system published by UNEP for global coastal management]]
More and more of the world's people live in coastal regions.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Goudarzi |first=Sara |date=July 18, 2006 |title=Flocking to the Coast: World's Population Migrating into Danger |url=http://www.livescience.com/environment/060718_map_settle.html |journal=Live Science |access-date=2008-12-14}}</ref> According to a [[United Nations]] atlas, 44% of all people live within 150 km (93 mi) of the sea.<ref name="UN Atlas" /> Many major cities are on or near good [[harbor]]s and have [[port]] facilities. Some [[landlocked]] places have achieved port status by building [[canal]]s.

Nations defend their coasts against military invaders, smugglers and illegal migrants. Fixed [[Coastal defence and fortification|coastal defenses]] have long been erected in many nations, and coastal countries typically have a [[navy]] and some form of [[coast guard]].<gallery widths="220px" heights="160px" class="center" perrow="2" caption="">
File:花蓮新社梯田.jpg|[[Paddy field]]s by the coast of [[Fengbin, Hualien]]
File:170209 219 R.jpg|Coastline of [[Barcelona]] as viewed from Port Fòrum, with [[Montjuïc]] and [[Port Vell]] can also be seen.
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==== Tourism ====
Coasts, especially those with beaches and warm water, attract tourists often leading to the development of [[seaside resort]] communities. In many [[island nation]]s such as those of the [[Mediterranean]], [[South Pacific Ocean]] and [[Caribbean]], [[Tourism|tourism is central to the economy]]. Coasts offer recreational activities such as swimming, fishing, surfing, boating, and [[Sun tanning|sunbathing]]. 

[[Growth management]] and [[coastal management]] can be a challenge for coastal local authorities who often struggle to provide the infrastructure required by new residents, and poor management practices of construction often leave these communities and infrastructure vulnerable to processes like [[coastal erosion]] and [[sea level rise]]. In many of these communities, management practices such as [[beach nourishment]] or when the coastal infrastructure is no longer financially sustainable, [[managed retreat]] to remove communities from the coast.<gallery widths="220px" heights="160px" class="center" perrow="3" caption="">
File:Maarianhamina SNV10312 -2B.jpg| A passenger car ferry arrives at the coast of [[Mariehamn]], [[Åland]].
File:Amalfi Coast (Italy, October 2020) - 75 (50558355441).jpg|[[Amalfi Coast]], Italy, attracts international tourists of all classes annually<ref name="uniq">{{cite web |title = Bay of Naples & Amalfi Coast History |url = http://www.uniquecostiera.com/naplesAmalfiCoastHistory.html |work = Unique Costiera |access-date = 28 June 2011 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111031120459/http://www.uniquecostiera.com/naplesAmalfiCoastHistory.html |archive-date = 31 October 2011 }}</ref> and is listed as a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]].<ref name="unesco">{{cite web |title = Costiera Amalfitana |url = https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/830 |publisher = [[UNESCO World Heritage Centre]] |access-date = 14 September 2015}}</ref>
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