Editing Maldives (section)

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of the Maldives}}
[[File:Malosmadulu Atolls, Maldives.jpg|thumb|upright|Maalhosmadulu Atoll seen from space. [[Northern Maalhosmadulu Atoll]] and [[Southern Maalhosmadulu Atoll]] can be seen in this picture.]]
[[File:Man on sand bank in the Maldives looking at sea.jpg|thumb|Dark clouds bringing heavy rain, common in the rainy season]]

The Maldives consists of 1,192 [[coral island]]s grouped in a double chain of 26 atolls, that stretch along a length of {{convert|871|km|mi|abbr=off}} north to south, {{convert|130|km|mi|abbr=off}} east to west, spread over roughly {{convert|90000|km²}}, of which only {{convert|298|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} is dry land, making this one of the world's most dispersed countries. It lies between latitudes [[1st parallel south|1°S]] and [[8th parallel north|8°N]], and longitudes [[72nd meridian east|72°]] and [[74th meridian east|74°E]]. The atolls are composed of live [[coral reef]]s and [[sand bar]]s, situated atop a submarine ridge {{convert|960|km}} long that rises abruptly from the depths of the Indian Ocean and runs north to south.

Only near the southern end of this natural coral barricade do two open passages permit safe ship navigation from one side of the Indian Ocean to the other through the territorial waters of the Maldives. For administrative purposes, the Maldivian government organised these atolls into 21 [[Administrative divisions of the Maldives|administrative divisions]]. The largest island of the Maldives is that of [[Gan (Laamu Atoll)|Gan]], which belongs to Laamu Atoll or Hahdhummathi Maldives. In Addu Atoll, the westernmost islands are connected by roads over the reef (collectively called Link Road), and the total length of the road is {{convert|14|km|0|abbr=on}}.

The Maldives is the lowest country in the world, with maximum and average natural ground levels of only {{convert|2.4|m}} and {{convert|1.5|m}} above sea level, respectively. In areas where construction exists, however, this has been increased to several metres. More than 80 percent of the country's land is composed of coral islands which rise less than one metre above sea level.<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 June 2010 |title=Entire Maldives cabinet resigns |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2010/6/29/entire-maldives-cabinet-resigns |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111052220/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2010/06/201062915490741700.html |archive-date=11 January 2012 |access-date=30 June 2010 |work=Al Jazeera}}</ref> As a result, the Maldives are in danger of being submerged due to [[Sea level rise|rising sea levels]]. The [[Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]] has warned that, at current rates, sea-level rise would be high enough to make the Maldives uninhabitable by 2100.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Angelo |first=Megan |date=1 May 2009 |title=Honey, I Sunk the Maldives: Environmental changes could wipe out some of the world's most well-known travel destinations |url=http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-27384279 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717041919/http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-27384279 |archive-date=17 July 2012 |website=[[Yahoo! Travel]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=19 April 2009 |title=Climate refugees in Pacific flee rising sea |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/19/rising-sea-levels-in-pacific-create-wave-of-migran/ |access-date=28 August 2015 |work=[[The Washington Times]] |archive-date=6 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906033747/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/19/rising-sea-levels-in-pacific-create-wave-of-migran/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Climate===
[[File:Bathala (Maldives) 8.JPG|thumb|left|A beach of [[Bathala (island)|Bathala]] island]]

The Maldives has a [[tropical monsoon climate]] (Am) under the [[Köppen climate classification]], which is affected by the large landmass of South Asia to the north. Because the Maldives has the lowest elevation of any country in the world, the temperature is constantly hot and often humid. The presence of this landmass causes differential heating of land and water. These factors set off a rush of moisture-rich air from the Indian Ocean over South Asia, resulting in the southwest [[monsoon]]. Two seasons dominate the Maldives' weather: the dry season associated with the winter northeastern monsoon and the rainy season associated with the southwest monsoon which brings strong winds and storms.<ref name="Climate">{{Cite web |title=Climate |url=https://www.meteorology.gov.mv/climate |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213020544/https://www.meteorology.gov.mv/climate |archive-date=13 December 2021 |access-date=13 December 2021 |website=Maldives Meteorological Service}}</ref>

The shift from the dry northeast monsoon to the moist southwest monsoon occurs during April and May. During this period, the southwest winds contribute to the formation of the southwest monsoon, which reaches the Maldives at the beginning of June and lasts until the end of November. However, the weather patterns of the Maldives do not always conform to the monsoon patterns of South Asia. The annual rainfall averages {{convert|254|cm}} in the north and {{convert|381|cm}} in the south.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maldives |url=http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/maldives.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010151307/http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/maldives.htm |archive-date=10 October 2017 |access-date=27 July 2011 |website=Atlapedia}}</ref><ref name="Climate" />

The monsoonal influence is greater in the north of the Maldives than in the south, more influenced by the [[Equatorial Counter Current|equatorial currents]].

The average high temperature is 31.5 degrees Celsius and the average low temperature is 26.4 degrees Celsius.<ref name="Climate" />

{{Clear}}

{{Weather box|location = Malé (1981–2010)
|collapsed =
|metric first = y
|single line = y
|Jan high C = 30.3
|Feb high C = 30.7
|Mar high C = 31.4
|Apr high C = 31.6
|May high C = 31.2
|Jun high C = 30.6
|Jul high C = 30.5
|Aug high C = 30.4
|Sep high C = 30.2
|Oct high C = 30.2
|Nov high C = 30.1
|Dec high C = 30.1
|year high C =
|Jan mean C = 28.0
|Feb mean C = 28.3
|Mar mean C = 28.9
|Apr mean C = 29.2
|May mean C = 28.8
|Jun mean C = 28.3
|Jul mean C = 28.2
|Aug mean C = 28.0
|Sep mean C = 27.8
|Oct mean C = 27.8
|Nov mean C = 27.7
|Dec mean C = 27.8
|year mean C = 28.2
|Jan low C = 25.7
|Feb low C = 25.9
|Mar low C = 26.4
|Apr low C = 26.8
|May low C = 26.3
|Jun low C = 26.0
|Jul low C = 25.8
|Aug low C = 25.5
|Sep low C = 25.3
|Oct low C = 25.4
|Nov low C = 25.2
|Dec low C = 25.4
|year low C = 25.8
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 114.2
|Feb rain mm = 38.1
|Mar rain mm = 73.9
|Apr rain mm = 122.5
|May rain mm = 218.9
|Jun rain mm = 167.3
|Jul rain mm = 149.9
|Aug rain mm = 175.5
|Sep rain mm = 199.0
|Oct rain mm = 194.2
|Nov rain mm = 231.1
|Dec rain mm = 216.8
|year rain mm = 1901.4
|Jan humidity = 78.0
|Feb humidity = 77.0
|Mar humidity = 76.9
|Apr humidity = 78.1
|May humidity = 80.8
|Jun humidity = 80.7
|Jul humidity = 79.1
|Aug humidity = 80.5
|Sep humidity = 81.0
|Oct humidity = 81.7
|Nov humidity = 82.2
|Dec humidity = 80.9
|year humidity = 79.7
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 6
|Feb precipitation days = 3
|Mar precipitation days = 5
|Apr precipitation days = 9
|May precipitation days = 15
|Jun precipitation days = 13
|Jul precipitation days = 12
|Aug precipitation days = 13
|Sep precipitation days = 15
|Oct precipitation days = 15
|Nov precipitation days = 13
|Dec precipitation days = 12
|year precipitation days = 131
|Jan sun = 248.4
|Feb sun = 257.8
|Mar sun = 279.6
|Apr sun = 246.8
|May sun = 223.2
|Jun sun = 202.3
|Jul sun = 226.6
|Aug sun = 211.5
|Sep sun = 200.4
|Oct sun = 234.8
|Nov sun = 226.1
|Dec sun = 220.7
|year sun = 2778.2
|source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref name="WMO">{{Cite web |title=World Weather Information Service – Malé |url=http://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=228 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226044058/http://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=228 |archive-date=26 December 2018 |access-date=17 March 2016 |publisher=WMO}}</ref>
|source 2 = [[NOAA|NOAA (relative humidity and sun 1961–1990)]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Malé Climate 1961–90 |url=ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_II/MV/43555.TXT |url-status=live |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20171010150911/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_II/MV/43555.TXT |archive-date=10 October 2017 |access-date=17 March 2016 |publisher=[[NOAA]]}}</ref>
}}

===Sea level rise===
{{Main|Climate change in the Maldives}}
{{see also|Effects of climate change on island nations|The Island President}}

In 1988, Maldivian authorities claimed that sea rise would "completely cover this Indian Ocean nation of 1,196 small islands within the next 30 years."<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 September 1988 |title=Threat to islands |language=en |page=6 |work=[[The Canberra Times]] |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] |issue=19348, Vol. 63 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102074798 |access-date=15 November 2021 |quote=A gradual rise in average sea level is threatening to completely cover this Indian Ocean nation of 1196 small islands with- in the next 30 years, ac- cording to authorities. The Environmental Affairs Director, Mr Hussein Shihab, said an estimated rise of 20 to 30 centimetres in the next 20 to 40 years could be "catastrophic" |archive-date=15 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115033208/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102074798 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]]'s 2007 report predicted the upper limit of the [[sea level rise]] will be {{convert|59|cm}} by 2100, which means that most of the republic's 200 inhabited islands may need to be abandoned.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 January 2012 |title=Where climate change threatens survival |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/where-climate-change-threatens-survival-20120108-1pq4c.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114164406/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/where-climate-change-threatens-survival-20120108-1pq4c.html |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=18 September 2015 |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]}}</ref> According to researchers from the [[University of Southampton]], the Maldives are the third most endangered island nation due to flooding from [[climate change]] as a percentage of population.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stephen |first=Marcus |author-link=Marcus Stephen |date=14 November 2011 |title=A sinking feeling: Why is the president of the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru so concerned about climate change? |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+sinking+feeling%3A+why+is+the+president+of+the+tiny+Pacific+island...-a0273079165 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209212434/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+sinking+feeling%3A+why+is+the+president+of+the+tiny+Pacific+island...-a0273079165 |archive-date=9 February 2015 |access-date=9 February 2015 |work=[[The New York Times Upfront]] |quote=Most Endangered Island nations at highest risk for flooding due to climate change 3 Maldives (Indian Ocean)}}</ref>

In 2008, Nasheed announced plans to look into purchasing new land in India, Sri Lanka, and Australia because he was concerned about global warming, and the possibility of much of the islands being inundated with water from rising sea levels. The purchase of land will be made from a fund generated by tourism. The president explained his intentions: "We do not want to leave the Maldives, but we also do not want to be [[Climate migration|climate refugees]] living in tents for decades".<ref name="Guardian">{{Cite news |last=Ramesh |first=Randeep |date=10 November 2008 |title=Paradise almost lost: Maldives seek to buy a new homeland |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/nov/10/maldives-climate-change |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114164412/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/nov/10/maldives-climate-change |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=12 May 2010 |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London}}</ref>
At the 2009 International Climate Talks, Nasheed stated that:<blockquote>For us swearing off fossil fuels is not only the right thing to do, but it is also in our economic self-interest... Pioneering countries will free themselves from the unpredictable price of foreign oil; they will capitalise on the new green economy of the future, and they will enhance their moral standing giving them greater political influence on the world stage.<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 June 2011 |title=Climate Change Gridlock: Where Do We Go From Here? (Part 1) |url=https://www.radioproject.org/2011/06/climate-change-gridlock-where-do-we-go-from-here-part-1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114164424/https://www.radioproject.org/2011/06/climate-change-gridlock-where-do-we-go-from-here-part-1/ |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=30 June 2011 |work=Making Contact |agency=National Radio Project}}</ref></blockquote>

Former president [[Mohamed Nasheed]] said in 2012 "If carbon emissions continue at the rate they are climbing today, my country will be underwater in seven years."<ref name="Guilfordian">{{Cite news |last=Catoe |first=Linda |title=Endangered island nations call for global action on climate change |work=The Guilfordian |url=https://www.guilfordian.com/worldnation/2012/04/06/endangered-island-nations-call-for-global-action-on-climate-change/ |url-status=live |access-date=30 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114164407/https://www.guilfordian.com/worldnation/2012/04/06/endangered-island-nations-call-for-global-action-on-climate-change/ |archive-date=14 January 2021}}</ref> He has called for more [[climate change mitigation]] action while on the American television shows ''[[The Daily Show]]''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 April 2012 |title=Exclusive - Mohamed Nasheed Extended Interview Pt. 2 |url=http://www.cc.com/video-clips/ptdix5/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-exclusive---mohamed-nasheed-extended-interview-pt--2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114164433/http://www.cc.com/video-clips/ptdix5/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-exclusive---mohamed-nasheed-extended-interview-pt--2 |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=14 February 2017 |website=The Daily Show |publisher=Comedy Central}}</ref> and the ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]'',<ref name="Guilfordian" /> and hosted "the world's first underwater cabinet meeting" in 2009 to raise awareness of the threats posed by climate change.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lang |first=Olivia |date=17 October 2009 |title=Maldives leader in climate change stunt |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8312320.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701130145/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8312320.stm |archive-date=1 July 2010 |access-date=19 October 2010 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Concerns over rising sea levels have also been expressed by Nasheed's predecessor, [[Maumoon Abdul Gayoom]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gayoom |first=Maumoon Abdul |author-link=Maumoon Abdul Gayoom |title=Address by his Excellency Mr. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, President of the Republic of Maldives, at the nineteenth special session of the United Nations General Assembly for the purpose of an overall review and appraisal of the implementation of agenda 21 - 24 June 1997 |url=http://www.un.int/maldives/ungass.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060613232908/http://www.un.int/maldives/ungass.htm |archive-date=13 June 2006 |access-date=6 January 2006 |website=Permanent Mission of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations}}</ref>

In 2020, a three-year study at the [[University of Plymouth]] which looked at the Maldives and the [[Marshall Islands]], found that tides move sediment to create a higher elevation, a morphological response that the researchers suggested could help low-lying islands adjust to sea level rise and keep the islands habitable. The research also reported that [[Seawall|sea walls]] were compromising islands' ability to adjust to rising sea levels and that island drowning is an inevitable outcome for islands with coastal structures like sea walls.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Physical impacts of climate change on coral reef islands |url=https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/support/funding/global-challenges-research-fund/gerd-masselink-gcrf-project-2020 |access-date=2023-03-11 |website=University of Plymouth |language=en |archive-date=11 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311121844/https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/support/funding/global-challenges-research-fund/gerd-masselink-gcrf-project-2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> Hideki Kanamaru, natural resources officer with the [[Food and Agriculture Organization]] in Asia-Pacific, said the study provided a "new perspective" on how island nations could tackle the challenge of sea-level rise, and that even if islands can adapt naturally to higher seas by raising their own crests, humans still needed to double down on global warming and protection for island populations.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Taylor |first=Michael |date=10 June 2020 |title=Small islands may not disappear under rising seas, researchers find |url=https://news.trust.org/item/20200610171616-1ul7a |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114164424/https://news.trust.org/item/20200610171616-1ul7a |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=18 May 2024 |work=[[Thomson Reuters Foundation]]}}</ref>

===Environment{{anchor|Environmental issues}}===
Environmental issues other than [[sea level rise]] include bad waste disposal and [[sand theft]]. Although the Maldives are kept relatively pristine and little [[litter]] can be found on the islands, most [[Waste management|waste disposal]] sites are often substandard. The bulk of the waste from Malé and nearby resorts in the Maldives is disposed of at [[Thilafushi]], an industrial island on top of a lagoon reclaimed in the early '90s to sort waste management issues which had plagued the capital and surrounding islands.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Evans |first=Judith |date=24 April 2015 |title=Maldives island swamped by rising tide of waste |url=https://www.ft.com/content/29399966-e80b-11e4-9960-00144feab7de |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114164426/https://www.ft.com/content/29399966-e80b-11e4-9960-00144feab7de |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=14 February 2017 |work=[[Financial Times]]}}</ref>

[[List of Protected Areas of Maldives|31 protected areas]] are administered by the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the Maldives.<ref name="Maldives Protected Areas">{{Cite web |title=Protected Areas - Maldives |url=http://epa.gov.mv/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=5&Itemid=25&limitstart=1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304134336/http://epa.gov.mv/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=5&Itemid=25&limitstart=1 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=25 May 2013 |website=Environmental Protection Agency}}</ref>

===Marine ecosystem===
{{further|Wildlife of Maldives}}
[[File:Maldives soft coral.jpg|thumb|Maldives soft coral]]
[[File:Maldives Oriental sweetlips, Plectorhinchus vittatus.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Oriental sweetlips]] (''Plectorhinchus vittatus'') at [[Meeru Island]], North Male Atoll]]

The Maldives have a range of different habitats including deep sea, shallow coast, and reef ecosystems, fringing mangroves, wetlands, and dry land. There are 187 species of coral forming the [[coral reefs]]. This area of the Indian Ocean, alone, houses 1,100 [[species]] of fish, 5 species of [[sea turtle]], 21 species of whale and dolphin, 400 species of mollusk, and 83 species of echinoderms. The area is also populated by several crustacean species: 120 copepods, and 15 amphipods, as well as more than 145 crab and 48 shrimp species.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity of Maldives |url=https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/mv/mv-nr-04-en.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151104002542/https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/mv/mv-nr-04-en.pdf |archive-date=4 November 2015 |access-date=2 April 2013 |website=Convention on Biological Diversity |publisher=Ministry of Housing and Environment |page=7}}</ref>

Among the many marine families represented are [[pufferfish]], [[Caesionidae|fusiliers]], [[Carangidae|jackfish]], [[lionfish]], [[oriental sweetlips]], [[reef sharks]], [[grouper]]s, [[eel]]s, [[Lutjanidae|snappers]], [[bannerfish]], [[Ogcocephalidae|batfish]], [[humphead wrasse]], [[spotted eagle ray]]s, [[scorpionfish]], [[lobster]]s, [[nudibranches]], [[Pomacanthidae|angelfish]], [[butterflyfish]], [[squirrelfish]], [[soldierfish]], [[Asiatic glassfish|glassfish]], [[surgeonfish]], [[Naso (fish)|unicornfish]], [[triggerfish]], [[Napoleon wrasse]], and [[barracuda]].<ref name="scuba">{{Cite web |title=Maldives Marine Life |url=http://www.scubadivemaldives.com/category/maldives-marine-life/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111222080727/http://www.scubadivemaldives.com/category/maldives-marine-life/ |archive-date=22 December 2011 |access-date=2 April 2013 |website=Scuba Dive Maldives}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sharks of the Maldives |url=http://www.themaldives.com/diving/maldives-sharks.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110131054/http://www.themaldives.com/diving/maldives-sharks.html |archive-date=10 January 2017 |access-date=12 February 2017 |website=The Maldives}}</ref>

These coral reefs are home to a variety of marine ecosystems that vary from [[planktonic]] organisms to whale sharks. Sponges have gained importance as five species have displayed anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties.<ref name="Coral reefs">{{Cite web |title=Regional Workshop on the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Coral Reefs |url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/X5627E/X5627E00.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114164420/http://www.fao.org/3/X5627E/X5627E00.htm |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=2 April 2013 |website=[[Food and Agriculture Organization]]}}</ref>

In 1998, sea-temperature warming of as much as {{convert|5|C-change}} due to a single [[El Niño-Southern Oscillation|El Niño phenomenon]] event caused [[coral bleaching]], killing two-thirds of the nation's coral reefs.<ref name="Wheatley">{{Cite web |last=Wheatley |first=Alan |date=2 May 2004 |title=Maldives Nurses Its Coral Reefs Back to Life |url=http://www.globalcoral.org/Maldives%20Nurses%20Its%20Coral%20Reefs%20Back%20to%20Life.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921010958/http://www.globalcoral.org/Maldives%20Nurses%20Its%20Coral%20Reefs%20Back%20to%20Life.htm |archive-date=21 September 2013 |access-date=2 April 2013 |website=Global Coral Reef Alliance}}</ref>

To induce the regrowth of the reefs, scientists placed electrified cones anywhere from {{convert|20|–|60|ft}} below the surface to provide a substrate for larval coral attachment. In 2004, scientists witnessed corals regenerating. Corals began to eject pink-orange eggs and sperm. The growth of these electrified corals was five times faster than untreated corals.<ref name=Wheatley/> Scientist Azeez Hakim stated:

{{Blockquote| Before 1998, we never thought that this reef would die. We had always taken for granted that these animals would be there, that this reef would be there forever. El Niño gave us a wake-up call that these things are not going to be there forever. Not only this, but they also act as a natural barrier against tropical storms, floods, and tsunamis. Seaweeds grow on the skeletons of dead coral.|<ref name="scuba" />}}

Again, in 2016, the coral reefs of the Maldives experienced a [[Coral bleaching#Maldives|severe bleaching incident]]. Up to 95% of coral around some islands have died, and, even after six months, 100% of young coral transplants died. The surface water temperatures reached an all-time high in 2016, at 31 degrees Celsius in May.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 July 2016 |title=Coral Bleaching Updates |url=http://marinesavers.com/2016/07/coral-bleaching-updates/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114164516/https://marinesavers.com/2016/07/coral-bleaching-updates/ |archive-date=14 January 2021 |access-date=12 February 2017 |website=MarineSavers |publisher=Marine Savers and Four Seasons Resorts Maldives (2012–2017)}}</ref>

Recent scientific studies suggest that the faunistic composition can vary greatly between neighbour atolls, especially in terms of benthic fauna. Differences in terms of fishing pressure (including poaching) could be the cause.<ref name="Ducarme between">{{Cite journal |last=Ducarme |first=Frédéric |date=2016 |title=Field Observations of Sea Cucumbers in Ari Atoll, and Comparison with Two Nearby Atolls in Maldives |url=http://www.spc.int/DigitalLibrary/Doc/FAME/InfoBull/BDM/36/BDM36_09_Ducarme.pdf |url-status=live |journal=SPC Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin |volume=36 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20171010151307/http://www.spc.int/DigitalLibrary/Doc/FAME/InfoBull/BDM/36/BDM36_09_Ducarme.pdf |archive-date=10 October 2017 |access-date=31 March 2016}}</ref>

===Wildlife===
{{Main|Wildlife of the Maldives}}
{{Multiple image
| total_width       = 300
| image1            = Rekiny wąsate, Malediwy.jpg
| alt1              = Sharks
| image2            = Addu City, Maldives (Unsplash UWCIzF2gkdg).jpg
| alt2              = Nature Park
| align             = left
| image3            = Maldives 09642.JPG
| alt3              = Flower
| image4            = Maldives 00345.JPG
| alt4              = Bird
| perrow            = 2/2
| footer            = Clockwise from top left: [[Tawny nurse shark]]s near [[Vaavu Atoll]], pier in [[Addu City]], ''[[Butorides striata]]'', and ''[[Ixora]] sp.''
}}
The [[wildlife of the Maldives]] includes the [[flora]] and [[fauna]] of the [[Islands of the Maldives|islands]], reefs, and the surrounding ocean. Recent scientific studies suggest that the fauna varies greatly between [[Atolls of the Maldives|atolls]] following a north–south gradient, but important differences between neighbouring atolls were also found (especially in terms of sea animals), which may be linked to differences in fishing pressure — including poaching.<ref name=Ducarme-2016-V36>{{cite report |first=Frédéric |last=Ducarme |date=2016 |title=Field observations of sea cucumbers in Ari Atoll, and comparison with two nearby atolls in Maldives |series=Beche-de-mer Information Bulletin |volume=36 |publisher=[[South Pacific Commission]] |url=http://www.spc.int/DigitalLibrary/Doc/FAME/InfoBull/BDM/36/BDM36_09_Ducarme.pdf |access-date=31 March 2016 |archive-date=10 October 2017 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20171010151307/http://www.spc.int/DigitalLibrary/Doc/FAME/InfoBull/BDM/36/BDM36_09_Ducarme.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

The terrestrial habitats of the Maldives are confronted with a significant threat as extensive development encroaches swiftly upon the limited land resources. Once seldom frequented, previously uninhabited islands now teeter on the brink of extinction, virtually devoid of untouched expanses. Over recent decades of intensive development, numerous natural environments crucial to indigenous species have suffered severe endangerment or outright destruction.

Coral reef habitats have been damaged, as the pressure for land has brought about the creation of artificial islands. Some reefs have been filled with rubble with little regard for the changes in the currents on the reef shelf and how the new pattern would affect coral growth and its related life forms on the reef edges.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Coral recovery in the central Maldives archipelago since the last major mass-bleaching, in 1998 |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/srep34720.pdf |journal=Scientific Reports |date=2016 |doi=10.1038/srep34720 |access-date=3 October 2016 |last1=Pisapia |first1=C. |last2=Burn |first2=D. |last3=Yoosuf |first3=R. |last4=Najeeb |first4=A. |last5=Anderson |first5=K. D. |last6=Pratchett |first6=M. S. |volume=6 |page=34720 |pmid=27694823 |pmc=5046149 |bibcode=2016NatSR...634720P |archive-date=21 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121004942/https://www.nature.com/articles/srep34720.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Mangroves thrive in brackish or muddy regions of the Maldives. The archipelago hosts fourteen species spanning ten genera, among which is the fern Acrostichum aureum, indigenous to these islands.<ref name="Hingun-2015">{{cite report |url=https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/mv/mv-nr-05-en.pdf |title=Fifth National Report of Maldives to the Convention on Biological Diversity |last=Hingun |first=Handuvaree |publisher=Ministry of Environment and Energy |page=24 |isbn=978-99915-59-11-7 |access-date=2018-10-13 |year=2015 |place=Maldives |archive-date=6 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206151108/https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/mv/mv-nr-05-en.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

The waters surrounding the Maldives boast an extensive array of marine life, showcasing a vibrant tapestry of corals and over 2,000 species of fish.<ref>{{cite web |date=3 December 2023 |title=Discovering the Maldives Underwater Marine Life |url=https://www.mymaldives.com/maldives/marine-life/ |access-date=18 May 2024 |website=My Maldives |archive-date=25 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225150457/https://www.mymaldives.com/maldives/marine-life/ |url-status=live }}</ref> From the dazzling hues of reef fish to the majestic presence of the [[blacktip reef shark]], [[moray eels]], and a diverse range of rays including [[manta rays]], [[stingrays]], and [[eagle rays]], the seas teem with life. Notably, the Maldivian waters harbor the magnificent [[whale shark]]. Renowned for its biodiversity, these waters host rare species of both biological and commercial significance, with [[tuna fisheries]] representing a longstanding traditional resource. Within the limited freshwater habitats such as ponds and marshes, freshwater fish such as the [[milkfish]] ([[Milkfish|Chanos chanos]]) and various smaller species thrive. Additionally, the introduction of the tilapia or mouth-breeder, facilitated by a [[United Nations]] agency in the 1970s, further enriches the aquatic diversity of the Maldives.
[[File:Maldives 00246.JPG|thumb|right|''[[Butorides striata]]'' in the Maldives]]
Due to their diminutive size, land-dwelling reptiles are scarce on the Maldivian islands. Among the limited terrestrial reptilian inhabitants are a species of gecko and the oriental garden lizard (Calotes versicolor), alongside the white-spotted supple skink (Riopa albopunctata), the Indian wolf snake ([[Lycodon aulicus]]), and the Brahmin blind snake ([[Ramphotyphlops braminus]]).

In the surrounding seas, however, a more diverse array of reptilian life thrives. Maldivian beaches serve as nesting grounds for the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), the hawksbill [[sea turtle]], and the leatherback sea turtle. Furthermore, saltwater [[crocodiles]] have been reported to occasionally reach the islands, taking residence in marshy regions.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Howard |first1=Jake |title=Crocs In Paradise! (aka The Maldives) |url=https://stabmag.com/news/crocs-in-paradise-aka-the-maldives |access-date=8 March 2016 |agency=Stab |date=8 March 2016 |archive-date=29 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529080418/http://stabmag.com/news/crocs-in-paradise-aka-the-maldives/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The location of this Indian Ocean archipelago means that its avifauna is mainly restricted to [[pelagic bird]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wildlife of Maldives |url=https://www.maladweep.com/wildlife-of-maldives.html |access-date=18 May 2024 |website=Maladweep |archive-date=16 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816160145/https://www.maladweep.com/wildlife-of-maldives.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Most of the species are Eurasian migratory birds, only a few being typically associated with the Indian sub-continent. Some, like the [[frigatebird]], are seasonal. Some birds dwell in marshes and island bush, like the [[grey heron]] and the [[moorhen]]. [[White terns]] are found occasionally on the southern islands due to their rich habitats.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Phillips |first=W.W.A. |year=1963 |title=The birds of the Maldive Islands, Indian Ocean |journal=[[Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society]] |volume=60 |pages=546–584}}</ref>