Physical geography Geography of the Maldives

cross section of coral reef in maldives

most atolls of maldives consist of large, ring-shaped coral reef supporting numerous small islands. islands average 1 2 square kilometers in area, , lie between 1 , 1.5 meters above mean sea level. although of larger atolls approximately 50 kilometers long north south, , 30 kilometers wide east west, no individual island longer 8 kilometers.

the maldives has no hills, islands have dunes can reach 2.4 meters (7.9 feet) above sea level, nw coast of hithadhoo (seenu atoll) in addu atoll. islands small have rivers, small lakes , marshes can found in of them.

on average, each atoll has approximately 5 10 inhabited islands; uninhabited islands of each atoll number approximately 20 60. atolls, however, consist of 1 large, isolated island surrounded steep coral beach. notable example of type of atoll large island of fuvahmulah situated in equatorial channel.

the tropical vegetation of maldives differs in inhabited , in uninhabited islands. inhabited islands have small groves of banana, papaya, drumstick , citrus trees homesteads, while breadfruit trees , coconut palms grown in available patches of land. on other hand, uninhabited islands have different kinds of bushes (magū, boshi) , mangroves (kuredi, kandū) along waterline coconut trees.

some islands marshy, while others higher owing sand , gravel having been piled wave action. soil highly alkaline, , deficiency in nitrogen, potash, , iron severely limits agricultural potential. ten percent of land, or 26 km², cultivated taro, bananas, coconuts, , other fruit. lush island of fuvammulah produces fruits such oranges , pineapples - partly because terrain of fuvammulah sits higher other islands, leaving groundwater less subject seawater penetration. however, population grows, in island cultivated areas shrinking rapidly.

freshwater floats in layer known ghyben/herzberg lens above seawater permeates limestone , coral sands of islands. these lenses shrinking rapidly on male , on many islands there resorts catering foreign tourists. mango trees have been reported dying on male because of salt penetration. residents of atolls depend on groundwater or rainwater drinking purposes.