For a long time, the Republic of Maldives was one of the best-kept secrets in the world; a beautiful string of low-lying
coral islands
in the Indian Ocean, a
paradise
for
watersports
enthusiasts and
sunseekers
alike. Now the islands are developing quickly to become an increasingly popular long-haul destination.
The country's 26 natural atolls offer nautical delights from
night-fishing
trips,
windsurfing
and
scuba-diving
. Many islands embrace
enormous lagoons
, where bright blue-green water laps gently.
Yet, even in paradise, trouble can bubble beneath the surface. It is precisely because the Maldives are so low-lying (80% of the territory is less than 1m/3.3ft above sea level), so transparent and perfect for
snorkelling
, that their very existence is especially threatened by global warming. They are also particularly vulnerable to natural catastrophe, as shown in the devastating tsunami on 26 December 2004: of the Maldives' 199 inhabited islands, 20 were completely destroyed.
These factors need to be seriously discussed by the international community in future years. Otherwise, paradise really might be lost.
