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| The eye of the Maldives, atoll of North Mali, Maldives The eye of the Maldives is a faro, a coral formation on a rocky base that has sunk, concealing all but a ring-shape reef that encircles a shallow lagoon. Coral can only form in water of a relatively high temperature, and thus atolls develop principally in intertropical regions. The lowest country in the world, with a high point not exceeding 8.25 feet (2.5m), the Maldives archipelago has suffered the devastating effect of several tidal waves. Locally, dike projects have also begun. Its 26 large atolls include 1,190 islands. Nearly 300 of which are inhabited either permanently or seasonally by tourists. After the construction of the first resort on the island of Kurumba in 1972, tourism in the Maldives expanded rapidly: 80 resorts exist today and 300,000 tourists visit each year. Tourism is the world's leading industry. In 2000 the global total was almost 700 million tourists, and tourism yielding $476 billion in revenues. As tourism grows, it is essential to ensure that countries realize an economic advantage from tourism without destroying their natural and cultural patrimony. |
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