Beyond the tropical paradise and beyond the fear of climate change effects, the Maldives is a fascinating island country that faces social, cultural, economic and environmental transformations. Atolls of the Maldives: Nissology and Geography provides a spatial analysis on some key challenges the Maldivian society has to deal with, and guides the reader in the discovery of the human and environmental geography of this Indian Ocean archipelago. Geographers, political scientists, sociologists, geologists, biologists and experts in environmental policies help the audience to move through the complex systems of interrelations, connections and disconnections that shape the environment and the geography of this extraordinary archipelagic country.

Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet's Maldives is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Encounter hammerhead sharks on a dawn dive, find your perfect luxury beach resort or family-run guesthouse, and hop around by seaplane for a view of coral atolls, blue lagoons and tiny desert islands - all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Maldives and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet's Maldives: Colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights provide a richer, more rewarding travel experience - covering history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics Covers Male, North & South Male Atolls, Ari & Rasdhoo Atoll, Northern Atolls, Southern Atolls The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet's Maldives is our most comprehensive guide to the country, and is perfect for discovering both popular and offbeat experiences. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. 'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves, it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia) eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

Coral reefs are the largest landforms built by plants and animals. Their study therefore incorporates a wide range of disciplines. This encyclopedia approaches coral reefs from an earth science perspective, concentrating especially on modern reefs. Currently coral reefs are under high stress, most prominently from climate change with changes to water temperature, sea level and ocean acidification particularly damaging. Modern reefs have evolved through the massive environmental changes of the Quaternary with long periods of exposure during glacially lowered sea level periods and short periods of interglacial growth. The entries in this encyclopedia condense the large amount of work carried out since Charles Darwin first attempted to understand reef evolution. Leading authorities from many countries have contributed to the entries covering areas of geology, geography and ecology, providing comprehensive access to the most up-to-date research on the structure, form and processes operating on Quaternary coral reefs.

Now in hard cover and fully revised and updated with detailed maps of all atolls and features including dive sites, surfing sites, mangroves, turtle and bird nesting islands, protected marine areas and a complete island index with a new grid referencing system. Includes a history of early mapping and information on atoll structure and formation, based on the latest science. This book has stunning colour photos of islands and useful information for travelling in the atolls. Blurb: This 6th edition of Atlas of the Maldives has been fully revised and updated to reflect the many changes occurring on both land and at sea since the last edition in 2007. It includes new material on the early mapping of the Maldives and its impact on science. The writings of Moresby, Darwin and other recent researchers, are used to explain the formation, structure and geological history of the Maldives. • Detailed Atoll Maps • Islands & Features • History & Shipwrecks • Diving & Surfing • Wetlands & Lakes • Protected Marine Areas • Marine LIfe • Turtles & Birds "The first view of these Islands from seaward, is imposing, and impresses a stranger with a favorable idea of them. Imagine a beautiful verdant fringe, of a mile or so in extent emerging suddenly from the sea on the distant horizon." Mr ‘Prentice’ Boyce, Purser aboard Captain Robert Moresby’s survey ship Benares, 1836.

The Maldives has propelled itself to middle-income status despite its geographic constraints and the risks it faces as a small island economy. The economy has been growing in the last 5 years, but development challenges remain formidable. How can the Maldives sustain and improve the pace of its economic growth and reduce poverty and inequality? This report identifies the critical constraints to inclusive growth and discusses policy options to overcome such constraints.