The Ari Atoll in the Maldives - Earth.com

The Ari Atoll in the Maldives

07-06-2020


The Ari Atoll in the Maldives Today’s Video of the Day from the European Space Agency features a Copernicus Sentinel-2 view of the Maldives, located in the Indian Ocean.

The island nation is a very popular tourist attraction, known for white sandy beaches and incredible diving sites.

The country consists of about 1,200 small coral islands positioned over an ancient volcanic mountain range.

This photo centers around the Ari Atoll, one of the largest groups of islands in the Maldives.

The Ari Atoll in the Maldives also nations is one of the world’s lowest-lying countries, and the islands are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise.In the 12th century Islam reached the Maldivian Archipelago, which was consolidated as a sultanate, developing strong commercial and cultural ties with Asia and Africa. 

The mid-16th-century the region came under the increasing influence of European colonial powers, with Maldives becoming a British protectorate in 1887. Independence from the United Kingdom came in 1965, and a presidential republic was established in 1968 with an elected People’s Majlis. The ensuing decades have seen political instability, efforts at democratic reform, and environmental challenges posed by climate change.

By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

Video Credit: ESA 

News coming your way
The biggest news about our planet delivered to you each day