The Maldives Islands are spread out over an archipelago of more than 1,200 islands and atolls, none higher than 3 meters above sea level. Long term climatic changes are causing more than rising sea levels. The Maldives Islands are facing beach erosion, storm surge flooding and a severe fresh water shortage.
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Cocos nucifera - The coconut is not a nut. It is a drupe, a stone fruit surrounded by an outer fleshy skin. Other drupes include coffee, mangos, olives, peaches, and apricots. The coconut’s origin is debated; it has been cultivated by humans throughout history. Coconut trees grow in the tropical regions of the world. The coconut has many uses: the flesh can be eaten or used for making oil, the water contained in the flesh is potable, the fibrous husk can be used as a rope making material, and the shell can be made into utensils or containers.
