Maldives May be Abandoned by 2100

The Maldives is an island state known for its stunning white beaches and crystal clear waters, but now the idyllic islands are under threat as those waters rise and the possibility of the islands disappearing under the sea become a genuine threat.

The new president of the islands, Mohamed Nasheed, has told “The Guardian” that the State of the small islands that lies on the equator could be lost under the waves if the sea level to rise due to climate change.

And the President went on to state that it was not possible to stop the effects of climate change and his nation will now have to seriously consider the purchase of land in another country in case there is no choice but to abandon the tropical paradise.

As a possible replacement home Nasheed sees Sri Lanka and India as viable alternatives, because the climate and culture are similar, but Australia may also be possible because of its vast sparsely populated areas.

The President said he did not want his people to become the latest climate refugees who would spend unknown years living in tents in some other nation.

Following the predictions of the United Nations that the sea level will rise by the year 2100 by nearly 60 centimetres, the President states that this would mean large parts of the 200 inhabited coral islands would be underwater.

Overall, there are approximately 385 000 inhabitants living on 1190 islands. Tourism and fishing are the main sources of income for the residents.