Addu Atoll Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 2020, in Maldives. Addu Atoll, the southernmost atoll of the Maldives, lies north of the Chagos Archipelago in the central Indian Ocean. Made up of a complex formation of seven individual reefs, this biosphere reserve hosts significant wetland ecosystems, including mangroves, freshwater ponds and brackish lakes (kilhis). Coral reefs play an important role, buffering the atoll from storms and erosion and providing habitat for diverse marine life and seabirds. The biosphere reserve aims to apply ecosystem-based approaches to atoll management and to develop plans and actions for sustainable development by conserving and restoring the country’s environmental assets and pursuing carbon neutrality.