INCREDIBLE ATOLLS OF THE WORLD
Added on: 24th Sep 2016
BANGARAM ATOLL, INDIA
Located in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, India,
Bangaram Atoll is a popular tourist destination offering
numerous adventure activities, including scuba diving,
snorkelling and deep sea fishing. It has white sand beaches,
a calm lagoon and stunning coral reefs.
CHAGOS ISLANDS, BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY
Chagos Islands is a group of seven atolls comprising more
than 60 individual tropical islands in the Indian Ocean.
Notable for a remarkable biodiversity, the reefs host at least
371 species of coral, 784 species of fish and 2 species of turtles.
PEARL AND HERMES ATOLL, HAWAII
Part of the North western Hawaiian Islands, the Pearl
and Hermes Atoll is a small Hawaiian atoll named after two
English whaleships that wrecked there in 1822. Once a
pearl trade centre, the atoll now serves as a bird sanctuary.
OSPREY REEF, CORAL SEA ISLANDS TERRITORY
Part of the North western Group of the Coral Sea Islands,
Osprey Reef is an oval submerged atoll in the Coral Sea.
Rising from a depth of 2 km (1.2 mi), its reef walls are home
to diverse marine life including a rare dwarf form of
Nautilus Pompilius.
DIEGO GARCIA, BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY
Located in the central Indian Ocean, just 7 degrees south of
the equator, Diego Garcia Atoll was settled by the French in
the 1790’s and was transferred to British rule later. It features
the largest continuous dryland rim of all atolls in the world.
KWAJALEIN ATOLL, MARSHALL ISLANDS
Part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Kwajalein is
one of the world’s largest atolls as measured by area of
enclosed water. Comprising 97 islands and islets, it has a
land area of 16 km² (6.3 mi²) and surrounds a giant
lagoon, with an area of 2174 km² (839 mi²).
KURE ATOLL, HAWAII
Politically belonging to Hawaii, Kure Atoll is the world´s
northernmost atoll (it lies at 28°25 N). Sometimes also referred
to as the Ocean Island, the atoll is habitat for hundreds
of thousands of seabirds and numerous marine animals
including the Hawaiian monk seal.
DUCIE ISLAND, PITCAIRN ISLANDS
Located in the south Pacific Ocean, Ducie Island is a little
uninhabited atoll in the Pitcairn Islands. Despite its sparse
vegetation, the atoll is home to a number of bird species.
More than 90% of the world population of Murphy’s petrel
nests on Ducie.
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