Atolls start as underwater volcanoes, take 30 million years to form and host 1 million people
Atolls are ring-shaped islands, often composed of multiple small islets, that encircle a lagoon. Found in warm tropical or subtropical waters where reef-building corals thrive, these structures serve as critical habitats for marine life. A 2023 census identified 494 oceanic atolls and 104 continental atoll systems globally. The majority of these are situated in the … Read more