Outdoor Activities
Outdoor Activities

10 Most Crowded Islands in the World (PHOTOS)

Camille Mann and Stephanie Valera weather.com

Male, Maldives

Male, Maldives. (Credit: Wikimedia/Shahee Illyas)

Some islands are known for their remote locations and vast beaches, offering an oasis from the hustle and bustle of a metropolis. And then there are islands which have developed into thriving and crowded cities themselves, where buildings are sometimes built back to back up to their shorelines. Many of the islands on this list, some of the world's most crowded, are prone to flooding. Venice, situated in a lagoon, is vulnerable to rising seas, according to the Harvard University Center for Environment. The Italian city is currently building a system of floating barriers to protect its residents and architectural treasures from the threat. Male in the Maldives is one of the most low-lying islands in the world, also extremely vulnerable to storm surges and rising seas, according to a report by Associated Press. But even with the risks associated with living in a crowded island, where space is a luxury, locals still assert that these are some of the most idyllic places to live. 

The capital of the Republic of Maldives, the tiny island of Male is also the country's most populous city. Formerly surrounded by fortifications and gates, the city's grand forts and bastions were destroyed when President Ibrahim Nasir remodeled the city after the monarchy was abolished. The ancient Male Friday Mosque, however, remains. Covering an area of about 1.77 square kilometers, the island is home to about 100,000 people (population density of 47,415/sq km) and serves as the political, economic and cultural center of Maldives. Male is especially prone to flooding, but its government has responded by building a massive seawall surrounding the entire island, according to NPR.

NEXT: This island also serves as a typhoon shelter

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