What is an atoll in geography definition. Coral Atoll

The Maldives is a unique creation of nature and an amazing tourist attraction. Located in the Indian Ocean near India, the state is Muslim republic. At the same time, respect for tourists is so strong that the main Christian holidays are given due attention. The Republic of Maldives consists of several atolls, which in turn include numerous islands. Only 10 groups of atolls out of 20 are open to tourists. Moreover, almost every hotel in the Maldives occupies a separate island, which gives tourists a feeling of peace and serenity. However, for fans active rest there is something to do - there are plenty of opportunities for this on the islands, including diving, for which it is Island state visited by divers from all over the world. Despite all the exoticism, holidays in the Maldives are different the highest level service.

The material on Turister.ru will talk about the structure Republic of Maldives- atolls and islands with their descriptions and detailed information. You can also study detailed atoll maps : , , And .

Kaafu Atoll (North Male)

Kaafu Atoll (South Male)

The atoll is divided from North Male by the Vadhoo Strait and extends from west to east for 19 km and from north to south for 36 km. Only three islands of the pearl chain are occupied by local aborigines; the remaining 19 paradise corners have been turned into resorts and delight travelers from all over the world with gentle lagoons and marvelous beaches.

South Male is possible.

Vaavu Atoll

Alternative title: Felidhu

Located 65 km from the capital of the Maldives - Male (90 minutes by speedboat or 5 hours by regular boat). The atoll is an interesting geographical phenomenon, as it consists of two atolls: the main Vavu and a round one, 9 kilometers in diameter, located next to the main atoll. With five inhabited islands and a population of approximately 2,300 people, Vaavu Atoll is the administratively smallest in the Maldives. Besides these five, there are about 14 other islands, but most of them are almost unexplored by tourists compared to the islands of other atolls. Vaavu Atoll is considered one of the best places for diving in the Maldives.

The Fotteyo Candu dive site is considered the best in the country and one of the top five in the world. Vaavu Atoll was opened to tourists in 1975, and has become a favorite among many organizers of various cruises and safaris in the Maldives. The reefs on the eastern side of the atoll are in pristine condition and are perfect for lovers of not only diving, but also snorkeling. There are a lot of sharks here, and there is a chance to see hammerhead fish and other equally interesting fish.

Look detailed map atoll and read about tourist islands Vaavu can.

Meemu Atoll

Alternative title: Mulaku

The atoll stretches 50 kilometers from north to south and 30 kilometers in width, housing eight fishing islands and two resort islands. There are excellent places for relaxation and diving here, as confirmed by numerous cruises.

View a detailed map of the atoll and read about tourist islands I guess it's possible.

Seenu Atoll

Alternative title: Addu

The southernmost atoll is located right at the equator, stretching 15 km from north to south and 18 km from west to east. It consists of 5 islands: northern Midu and western Hithadhoo, Gan, Feydhoo and Maradu, united by bridges. An airport and resort hotel, and the large Hithadhoo ranks 2nd in population after Male - 12,000 inhabitants. Green and pretty Feidu and Maradu rustle with coconut palm plantations; nature has endowed them with small coves where fishing villages have settled. A pleasant surprise awaits hotel guests in Ghana - at any time they will be able to visit the nearby islands and get acquainted with the life of the local aborigines.

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Faafu Atoll

Alternative title: Nilandhe North (Nilandhe Atholhu Uthuruburi)

A small atoll, has an oval shape and the second name is North Nilande. It stretches 21 km from west to east and 45 km from north to south, containing five fishing islands and only one resort island, which was recently opened to travelers.

View a detailed map of the atoll and read about tourist islands Faaf is allowed.

Dhaalu Atoll

Alternative title: Nilandhe South (Nilandhe Atholhu Dhekunuburi)

Dhaalu Atoll is located 150 km north of Male and 5 km from Faafu Atoll. It is also known as Nilandhe Atholhu Dhekunuburi (South Niladhe Atoll). It is separated from North Nilade (Faafu Atoll) by the Deburiiterey Kandu Strait. The airport and other atolls can be reached by seaplane or speedboat.

Dhaalu Atoll, 38 km long and 23 km wide, has about 46 islands, many of which are uninhabited. The seaplane transfer takes 40 minutes. Dhaalu Atoll was recently opened for tourism. The islands, open to tourists, are located in the northern part of the atoll and provide excellent diving opportunities. The main island is Kudahuvadhoo Island. It's pretty big Island with developed infrastructure and a population of 1,500 people.

The main reefs, interesting and accessible for diving, are located along the northern and northeastern parts of the islands. There are practically no shallow reefs inside the atoll.

The lagoon, which is relatively clear of coral thickets, allows you to safely go on a tour of the islands by boat. Dhaalu Atoll still preserves the ruins of ancient monasteries and mosques. On the islands where he lives indigenous people, souvenirs are much cheaper than in the capital.

View a detailed map of the atoll and read about tourist islands Dhaal is possible.

Alif Atoll

Alternative title: Ari, also the northern and southern parts are called Alif Alif and Alif Dhaal

The atoll stretches for 33 km from west to east and 96 km from north to south. The atoll is divided into two honors: Alif Alif (northern) and Alif Daal (southern). In the northern part, in addition to the main atoll, there is a small atoll called Radsu, and in the southern part is the capital Mahibadhu. The atoll includes 70 islands, but only 18 of them are inhabited, and 25 have been turned into resorts. Once upon a time, local aborigines hunted for sharks and turtles, but since sea hunting is banned, they are busy servicing tourist hotels.

Baa Atoll

Alternative title: Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi

It is an administrative division of the Republic of Maldives, together with Horseborough Atoll, with its capital being Eidafushi. The atoll stretches 32 km from west to east and 42 km from north to south and includes 10 inhabited islands. Local aborigines make a living by fishing, while at the same time mastering more profitable tourism professions. The underwater world is amazingly diverse and surprising most interesting places for diving. Marvelous corals, still untouched by divers, as well as dozens of species of fish await ocean treasure hunters!

Lhaviyani Atoll

Alternative title: Miladhunmadulu Uthuruburi

The atoll is 120 km away from the Maldivian capital, and therefore travelers fly to relax by seaplane. The atoll stretches for 35 km from north to south and 37 km from west to east. Food and goods are brought here by dhoni, which takes 8 hours to travel such a considerable distance. Fadiffolu contains 6 fishing and 4 resort islands.

View a detailed map of the atoll and read about tourist islands Lhaviyani is possible.

  • m. coral island with an open ring; an annular, lagoon ridge, an island, gradually carved out by the smallest skull-dwellers, with a lake or lagoon in the middle (the lagoon can be converted into a Russian lagoon)
  • Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language, Dal Vladimir

    atoll

    m. coral island with an open ring; an annular, lagoon ridge, an island, gradually carved out by the smallest skull-dwellers, with a lake or lagoon in the middle (the lagoon can be converted into a Russian lagoon).

    Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. D.N. Ushakov

    atoll

    atoll, m. (Malay). Ring-shaped coral island.

    Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. S.I.Ozhegov, N.Yu.Shvedova.

    atoll

    A, m. Coral island is ring-shaped.

    adj. atoll, -aya, -oe.

    New explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.

    atoll

    m. Coral island, shaped like a ring (sometimes broken).

    Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998

    atoll

    a coral structure in the form of a continuous or broken ring surrounding a shallow lagoon. The base for an atoll is usually the top of an underwater volcano. Distributed in tropical latitudes of the Pacific and Indian oceans.

    Atoll

    (from Maldivian atolu), a coral island in the shape of a continuous or broken ring surrounding a lagoon of shallow depth (up to 100 m). Formed mainly by calcareous structures of colonial corals. A. are usually small, but sometimes reach 50 km or more in diameter. Found in the open sea in tropical latitudes; especially often in the central part Pacific Ocean, sometimes entire archipelagos. The origin of A., according to Charles Darwin's hypothesis, is explained by the slow subsidence of the island, originally surrounded barrier reef, which is gradually built up by corals.

    Wikipedia

    Atoll

    Atoll- a coral island that looks like a continuous or broken ring surrounding a lagoon. More precisely, the atoll is a rise on the ocean floor, crowned with a coral superstructure, forming a reef with a group of islands separated by straits. These straits connect the ocean to the lagoon. If there are no straits, then the land forms a continuous ring, in which case the water in the lagoon may be less salty than in the ocean. The rise on the ocean floor usually has the shape of a cone formed an extinct volcano.

    Atholl (Scotland)

    Blair in Atholl In 1264, Atholl came into the possession of the Strathbogie family, whose representatives supported the British during the wars of Scottish independence, which led to the confiscation of the county of Atholl by King Robert the Bruce in 1320. Then the county changed owners several times, at one time it was part of the possessions Queen Mary of Geldernskaya, and as a result was assigned to the Stuart family. The most significant representatives of the Earls of Atholl were: Walter Stewart, the organizer of the assassination of King James I, John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl, leader of the rebellions against James III, and John Stewart, 4th Earl of Atholl, one of the leaders of the Conservative baronial party in the middle of the 16th century. century. Since 1629, the title of Earl (and since 1703 Duke) of Atholl belongs to the noble Murray family.

    Atoll (disambiguation)

    Atoll

    • An atoll is a coral island that looks like a continuous or discontinuous ring surrounding a lagoon.
    • Atoll - historical region in the center of Scotland, in the mountains north of Perthshire.

    Examples of the use of the word atoll in literature.

    Holding the flowers in his outstretched hand so as not to fall into a diabetic coma from the cloying smell, he walks around the dance floor surrounded by atoll round tables with white tablecloths, candles and crystal ashtrays.

    The first of these plan points led to the Battle of the Coral Sea, the second to the Battle of atoll Midway and the third - to a protracted and bitter struggle for Guadalcanal, a large island near Tulagi.

    The Japanese hoped that before the end of the landing in the area atoll There will be no American ships midway, because as soon as reports of air strikes on the Aleutian Islands arrive, Pacific Fleet The US will rush north.

    American planes With atoll Midway was being bombed by Japanese aircraft carriers, and Nagumo found it necessary to suppress the island's airfields.

    In just one battle atoll At Midway they lost four heavy aircraft carriers, approximately 330 aircraft and a heavy cruiser, while American losses amounted to only one aircraft carrier and about 150 aircraft.

    Thus, we can rightfully say that the battle at atoll Midway was the turning point that predetermined the final defeat of Japan.

    Although the outcome of the battle atoll While Midway seriously hampered the Japanese advance in the southeastern Pacific, they were not stopped completely.

    After the battle at atoll Midway in early June, the Allied position was significantly strengthened, since many Australian units had by this time returned home and new divisions were being formed, and the United States stationed two divisions and eight air groups in Australia.

    In planning operations on this island, General MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz sought to exploit the victory at atoll Midway, in order to quickly move from defense to counteroffensive in the Pacific.

    Most of them could be sent directly to new airfields in Assam and Bengal, since after the naval battles in the Coral Sea and off atoll Midway, the possibility of a Japanese invasion of India by sea became unlikely.

    In the battle for atoll Midway and Guadalcanal Island in the group Solomon Islands, which are the approaches to Australia, Japan suffered a major defeat. Note.

    The possibility of effective action on the part of Japan was excluded due to the loss of four heavy aircraft carriers off atoll Midway, two battleships and many small ships and vessels off the island of Guadalcanal, as well as due to the large losses of aircraft in these important battles.

    Honolulu, Oahu and some other islands and atolls, over which coconut palms sway.

    During the two months of my stay atoll Oolong I've never seen him sober.

    And again I am mentally transported to the small fishing town, the port of Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, where I visited with thousands of Japanese at a meeting with the victims of the explosion of the American hydrogen bomb on atoll Bikini.

    Every person has heard the word “atoll” at least once in their life. It came to us from Do you want to take a closer look at this concept and find out what an atoll is? Then let's start with a brief description.

    We describe the concept

    An atoll is called an atoll that looks like a complete or broken ring. Inside it there is a lagoon, that is, a smaller body of water, which is separated from sea or ocean waters by a narrow strip of shore. More exact description of what an atoll is - an elevation rising from the ocean floor on which a coral superstructure has formed. In shallow waters, corals form reefs and groups of islands, between which there are straits. Thanks to them, the lagoons communicate with the ocean. But if the atoll is formed as a closed ring, then the waters in the lagoon have lower salinity than in the surrounding ocean. They usually form on extinct volcanoes. The meaning of the word "atoll" can be found in any dictionary.

    Structure and stages of atoll formation

    Charles Darwin was the first to try to explain the stages of atoll formation. Subsequently, his assumptions were confirmed by numerous observations of modern scientists.

    At the first stage, a volcano begins to operate on the ocean floor. Volcanic islands rise somewhat above the surface of the ocean. The slopes are gradually overgrown and the volcano itself is slowly sinking. It takes a long period of time before a colony of polyps reaches the surface. Most of today's atolls were formed after the Ice Age. In order for such a formation to take the form of a closed ring, the subsidence of the volcano and the growth of corals must proceed at approximately the same speed, otherwise the ring will be torn.

    However, volcanoes may not submerge into the ocean, in which case a volcanic island remains inside the lagoon. This formation is called somewhat aggressively - a nuclear atoll. There can be many islands formed by coral colonies.

    Each atoll has 3 components:

    • outer reef slope;
    • dense reef platform;
    • an internal body of water, that is, a lagoon.

    The average height rarely exceeds 4 meters above sea level, but the area of ​​such formations can be quite large. Thus, the largest atoll on the planet is considered to be Kwajalein, which is included in the Marshall Islands archipelago. Its area is more than 2300 km². But 92% of this area is lagoon. And about 15 km² remains on the island land.

    Reef building material

    Have you already understood what an atoll is? What does the building material from which reefs are built look like? belong to the class of invertebrate bottom organisms. Those types of polyps that have a calcareous skeleton participate in reef formation. Most often, reefs consist of madrepore corals and several types of algae that are capable of releasing lime from the surrounding water. The place where coral reefs form is in the shallow waters of tropical seas. Most of them are located in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

    Where does fresh water come from? How does vegetation appear?

    Knowing what an atoll is, many are surprised where fresh water and vegetation come from on the coral islands. There are virtually no rivers, streams or other sources of drinking fresh water on the atolls. It comes here only in the form of rain.

    The waves, like giant millstones, grind some of the hardened corals and deposit a layer of sand on the surface of the atolls. This mixture contains seeds of various unpretentious plants. Most often, coconuts brought by the ocean germinate. Gradually, the limestone rocks are covered with palm trees and shrubs. There are usually no animals on atolls, but there is a huge variety of insects. And in the surrounding waters there are many species of fish.

    atoll-coral structure in the form of a continuous or broken ring bordering a water basin - a lagoon. The ring of the atoll is formed by separate islands. Some of them have their own lagoon or are an incomplete ring that opens towards the main lagoon with a wide channel. Found only in the tropical zone. They can have different sizes, usually small, but some reach 50 km across. The underwater base of the atoll is usually the heights of the ocean floor of volcanic origin. The genesis of the atoll, according to Charles Darwin's hypothesis, is associated with the slow sinking of a tropical island surrounded by a ring of barrier coral reef, which is gradually expanded by the construction of colonial corals. According to another concept, the formation of atolls occurs as a result of a rise in the level of the World Ocean as a result of the melting of cover glaciers, and not the subsidence of the bottom, as evidenced, in his opinion, by the same depths from which coral structures begin in different atolls. you are very demanding on the complex natural conditions: the temperature of air and water, the constancy of salinity and dynamics of ocean waters, their purity, etc. They are found mainly in the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans.
    Plan and vertical section of the atoll (along line AB)


    View value Atoll in other dictionaries

    Atoll- m. coral island with an open ring; an annular, lagoon ridge, an island, gradually carved out by the smallest skull-dwellers, with a lake or lagoon in the middle (lagoon........
    Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

    Atoll- atoll, m. (Malay). Ring-shaped coral island.
    Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

    Atoll M.— 1. A coral island shaped like a ring (sometimes broken).
    Explanatory Dictionary by Efremova

    Atoll- -A; m. [English] atoll]. A ring-shaped coral island with a shallow lagoon inside (mainly in the Indian and Pacific oceans).
    Kuznetsov's Explanatory Dictionary

    Atoll- , a ring-shaped CORAL REEF surrounding a shallow LAGOON. The reef appears initially as the frame of an island slowly sinking into the water, usually volcanic........
    Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary

    Atoll- a coral structure in the form of a continuous or broken ring surrounding a shallow lagoon. The base for an atoll is usually the top of an underwater volcano.........
    Large encyclopedic dictionary

    Separated by straits. These straits connect the ocean to the lagoon. If there are no straits, then the land forms a continuous ring, in which case the water in the lagoon may be less salty than in the ocean. A rise on the ocean floor is usually shaped like a cone, formed by an extinct volcano.

    A typical atoll consists of three parts: the outer reef slope, the reef platform and the lagoon. The height of the atoll usually does not exceed 3-4 meters above mean ocean level. Atolls can have a variety of configurations and sizes. One of the largest atolls on Earth - Kwajelein (Menshikova) in the Marshall Islands archipelago - reaches 2336 km², of which 92% is a lagoon stretching for 300 km. The total area of ​​the 92 islands of this atoll is 14.5 km². Another large atoll, Rangiroa (Rangiroi) in the Tuamotu archipelago, covers 1639 km², and its 241 islets occupy 43 km². The coral reefs of such large atolls frame a rise on the ocean floor, which is a volcanic plateau, and not the cone of a separate volcano. With the exception of small atolls, the area of ​​reefs usually accounts for a few percent of the area of ​​the atolls themselves, while the land area often accounts for only a fraction of a percent. In the case of the small Pangelaya Atoll, reefs and land account for 3 of the 4 km² of the atoll area.

    Atolls are usually formed by overgrowing a volcanic island with a coral reef, forming a ring belt. This is often accompanied by the immersion of the volcanic base under water; if such immersion does not occur, then a nuclear atoll is formed with volcanic island inside the lagoon. A slight decrease in water level (or a rise in the tectonic basis of the atoll) leads to the transformation of a coral reef into an atoll. Further uplift of land may result in the formation of an uplifted atoll. If the atoll is submerged under water, then an underwater bank (that is, a sandbank) is formed, which can be called a submerged atoll.

    Illustrations

    Literature

    • Ignatiev G. M. Tropical Islands Pacific Ocean. Moscow, Mysl Publishing House, 1978, 270 p.
    • Scott G. A. J., Rotondo G. M. "A model for the development of types of atolls and volcanic islands on the Pacific lithospheric plate". USA, Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, 1983.
    • Rapaport Moshe. “Population pressure on cowl atolls: trends and approaching limits.” USA, Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, 1990.

    Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

    See what “Coral Atoll” is in other dictionaries:

      Atoll Atoll is a coral island that looks like a continuous or discontinuous ring surrounding a lagoon. Atholl (Scotland) historical region in the center of Scotland, in the mountains north of Perthshire ... Wikipedia

      A ring-shaped coral reef surrounding the water area. Coral reefs are common in tropical and subtropical latitudes, most widely in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The word atoll comes from the name used among the peoples... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

      - (Atoll) lagoon reef, a special type of island. A ring-shaped strip of land surrounding an inland shallow lake or lagoon. Usually A. rises several meters above sea level. The depth in the lagoon is small; 60 150 m (30 80 nautical fathoms), whereas ... ... Marine Dictionary

      Coral island, reef Dictionary of Russian synonyms. atoll noun, number of synonyms: 9 bikini (5) ... Synonym dictionary

      atoll- a, m. atoll m., English. Coral island. Atoll aya, oh. Sometimes the tentacles of an octopus stuck into the hole, which apparently methodically searched the atoll bank. A. Kim Fish Simplicitas. // NM 1997 4 102. Lex. Dal: atol; Toll 1863: atoll; SAN 1891 ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

      ATOLL, a ring-shaped CORAL REEF surrounding a shallow LAGOON. A reef appears initially as the frame of an island slowly sinking into water, usually of volcanic origin. As the island sinks, the corals continue to grow... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary

      ATOLL, atoll, husband. (Malay). Ring-shaped coral island. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

      ATOLL, ah, husband. Ring-shaped coral island. | adj. atoll, oh, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

      Husband. coral island with an open ring; an annular, lagoon ridge, an island, gradually carved out by the smallest skull-dwellers, with a lake or lagoon in the middle (the lagoon can be converted into a Russian lagoon). Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary. IN AND. Dal... ... Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

      - [Malay adol enclosed] a coral island in the form of a narrow circular ridge of reef limestone (coral barrier) enclosing an inner lagoon. The outer slope is steep (about 45-60°), sometimes even overhanging. On the inside of the ring it is often... ... Geological encyclopedia

    Books

    • 50 most beautiful islands on the planet, Anthony Mason, Dream Island - what do we mean by this concept? The simplest answer is a coral atoll in the tropics, snow-white sand beaches with the shadow of a coconut palm, the leaves of which rustle quietly under... Category: General questions Publisher:

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