These tropical islands are located in the Indian Ocean and consist of 1192 coral islands. Of these, there are about 200 inhabited islands and about 80 are suitable for tourists. The islands are spread over an area of 90,000 square kilometers and only 3% of this area is land. All islands consist of pure coral. The water clarity is excellent and underwater life is abundant. This is because the reefs are hundreds of kilometers away from any major land mass. Manta rays, sharks, even a few wrecks, you name it; you can find it in the Maldives.
At the Earth Summit in 2002 in Rio (Brazil), Mohamed Waheed announced that the Maldives by 2017 will be the largest marine reserve in the world. Up to 200 km around all the islands of the Maldives will become a protected area. Only sustainable fishing is allowed.
A number of islands in the Maldives are all naturally. UNESCO declared the atoll Baa, consisting of 75 occupied islands, a biosphere reserve in 2011.
This is incredibly good news for the environment and all marine life in the area!
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