MALDIVES

The Maldives is a small island nation in South Asia, located in the Arabian Sea of the Indian Ocean. It lies southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) from the Asian continent. The chain of 26 atolls stretches from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll in the north to Addu Atoll in the south. Comprising a territory spanning roughly 298 square kilometres (115 sq mi), the Maldives is one of the world's most geographically dispersed sovereign states as well as the smallest Asian country by land area and population, with around 550,000 inhabitants. Malé is the capital and the most populated city. Maldives is made up of 1,190 coral islands formed around 26 natural ring-like atolls and has deep blue seas, turquoise reefs, white sandy beaches and palm trees.

Climate change is severely threatening the very existence of the Maldives. According to the World Bank, with "future sea levels projected to increase in the range of 10 to 100 centimeters by the year 2100, the entire country could be submerged".