the maldives is located about 500km south of india in the indian ocean. it's made up of almost 1,200 islands that sit within these circular formations called atolls. and it's these low—lying islands that the maldives has become famous for. seaplanes are the fastest way to get around. but for most visitors and locals, boats are used to island—hop. these islands may be beautiful but they're precariously close to disappearing into the ocean. most of these islands have been affected by erosion and the prediction is that by 2050, 80% of them could become uninhabitable.