maldive islands

Maldives (Maldive Islands) are located on the Southwest of Sri Lanka, on equator. Numerous islands of a coral reef, form archipelago of 26 natural atolls (group of the coral islands). These 26 atolls are divided into 19 administrative areas with island-capital of Mail, being 20 administrative states. If to look from the air, atolls and islands form beautiful picture with dark blue Indian Ocean.

Maldive Islands become more and more popular vacation spot. It is dazzling pure, transparent ocean water, the cleanest nature of Maldive Islands leave nobody indifferent. Rest on Maldive Islands can be compared to immersing in absolutely other world. Maldive Islands reach 823 km from the north to south and up to 130 km from the east on the West. From improbable a considerable quantity of islands only 200 islands are occupied. The sea makes more than 99 % of Maldives. Only 0.331 % (298 km^2) is earth.

Maldive Islands are a part of an extensive underwater mountain chain on which crest coral reeves grew. Each of atolls belongs to the coral reef divided on some natural channels and a lagoon. The structure of a reef specific to Maldives and consisting of a number of round reeves in to exhaust, is known as ' faru '. Strong streams together with monsoon winds, proceed among atolls though trips between atolls are frequently easily realizable.

The majority of Maldive Islands can be passed across in ten minutes; only the few have length more than two kilometers. The long, Hithadhoo in the most southern atoll has length of eight kilometres (5-6 miles). Though the majority of other islands have length smaller than one mile, however all the islands have many gorgeous beaches, crystal waters, and fresh dark blue heavens create the infinite immensity, a natural openness which is rare and calmness which is long-awaited.

Usual superficial covering of Maldive Islands - a layer of dark humus of six inches the depth, the sand made of a mix and the organic adjournment which have been saved up by an animal and flora for millenia of existence of an atoll. Sand, approximately 2 foots depth, is found more low, in it fresh water can be found out. On some islands, the natural horizon of ground waters is high; therefore you can find some lakes of fresh water surrounded with green vegetation of type of coconut trees, towering above dense bushes and blossoming gardens.

All atolls of Maldive Islands are susceptible to erosion. First in 1812. And then again in 1955, destructive storms have destroyed many northern islands. If, as some scientists predict, sea level will continue to rise as a result of global warming Maldives, with its ancient and unique culture, can be flooded all within fifty years. As a precautionary step the government, by means of Japan, has developed the greatest projects on Maldives - a breakwater building on a southern reef of the Mail. By means of artificial measures, type of a new artificial breakwater and natural coral reeves of island have started to enjoy a considerable quantity of protection against natural disasters, than ever before.

The origin of these unique atolls still remains secret, despite years of researches. In 1842, after studying of other similar atolls in Pacific ocean and Atlantic, Charles Darvin has proposed that they have been created, when the volcano has risen from the sea, and the coral reef has begun to grow around its edge. The volcano has gradually fallen back to the sea, leaving coral reeves to surround the small lagoon filled with water. Islands developed, when streams covered a reef and other organic ruins in sandy deposits which finally, have been colonized by bushes and trees. When Darwin has continued the researches on Maldive Islands, he recognized that there was something special in formation of Maldive Islands.

However he has added that its theory of coral formation of island was applicable to Maldives in a general sense and the majority of scientists accepts its theory. After, however, Hans Hass has proposed that one hundred thousand years the platform of coral reeves grew on the flooded mountain chain in Indian Ocean while they have not broken off its surface.

The porous and changeable, coral platform settled in the middle, leaving only a ring of the firmest and highest coral - frames of atolls where there were the ruins, the saved up sand and vegetation which have generated islands. Millenia the sea washing islands, have transformed ruins into a sand fine grain. Clearly those tiny specks of the earth separated by the big pieces of water long were the big hidden secret to everyone.

The same as also the early history of Maldive Islands is shrouded by secret and exact number of islands in archipelago. The British Sea chart enters in the list approximately 1 100 islands while the recent governmental account has found 1 196. If sandy deposits and coral adjournment have been included in this list, the figure would be close to 2 000. Reception of the exact data is complicated by that fact that islands grow and vary.

Some unite, others break up into two, and sometimes islets appear from coral reeves. In 1955 the storm has created three new islands in an atoll while others slowly collapsed. Approximately in 1960 for example, enough the big island the Mail atoll has almost disappeared because of natural erosion. Later it has been restored.

For the present there is no agreement to what precisely makes Maldive Islands an archipelago? Nevertheless all is a mysticism part at travel to Maldive Islands where you can encounter island which has no name, is not shown on any card and has no human trace on its coast.


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