Maldives

As an atoll nation that is 99% ocean, the Republic of Maldives is a country rich in marine biodiversity. It contains about 4,500 km² of coral reefs, which is about 3% of the world’s total coral reef area, with over 250 recorded species of coral, over 1,100 species of fish, 5 species of marine turtle and at least 20 species of marine mammals.

Since 2013, IUCN has been working closely with the Government of Maldives on Project Regenerate, a USAID-funded project on coral reefs and climate change. This project aims to build resilience to climate change of coral reefs and reefs-dependent people. Furthermore, Mangroves for the Future has been active in Maldives since 2011, implemented by UNDP-Maldives and also focusing on improving ecosystem management for climate change adaptation and resilience. In 2016, IUCN has also been assisting the Government of Maldives with delivering on its pledge to nominate the entire country as a UNESCO Biosphere.