Costal Zone: Case Study

Question 0

What is the population of the Maldives?

Answer 0

About 300,000.

Question 1

What is the case study for costal flooding?

Answer 1

The Maldives in the Indian Ocean.

Question 2

How many inhabited islands are there in the Maldives?

Answer 2

199.

Question 3

What percent of land is below 1m?

Answer 3

80%

Question 4

Give two economic impacts of flooding in the Maldives.

Answer 4

• Loss of tourism. Main airport would be cut off which would reduce the country’s income.
• Disrupted fishing industry. Fish are the Maldives largest export. Costal flooding could damage the fish processing plants, reducing the fish exports and the country’s income.

Question 5

What is the Maldives largest source of income?

Answer 5

Fishing.

Question 6

Give 2 social impacts of flooding in the Maldives.

Answer 6

• Houses destroyed could make communities homeless

- Less freshwater available means rainwater would need to be utilised however desalination plays are expensive to build

Question 7

Give 2 environmental factors of costal flooding in the Maldives.

Answer 7

• Loss of beaches. Flooding wears away beaches. This destroys habitats and the land behind the beach
• Loss of soil. Soil is shallow therefore flooding could easily wash away the soil layer meaning plants are unable to grow.

Question 8

Give three political aspects to flooding in the Maldives.

Answer 8

• The Maldivian government asked for 60 million to build 3 m sea wall around the capital city.
• The Maldives has pledged to become carbon neutral so it doesn’t contribute so global warming, this is a change to the environmental policy.
• The government is thinking about buying land from places such as India and Australia and moving the locals there before the island becomes inhabitable