INCREDIBLE ATOLLS OF THE WORLD

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.