factsheet_reefs_indian_ocean-20a0d0ea50d0864a.pdf

This WRI fact sheet provides a regional overview of the 'Reefs at Risk Revisited' analysis for the Indian Ocean, detailing the extent of coral reefs, the human populations dependent on them, the prevalence of local and climate-related threats, and the effectiveness of existing marine protected areas.

• The Indian Ocean contains 13 percent of the world's coral reefs, totaling 31,500 sq km. These reefs are concentrated in three areas: the Western Indian Ocean (including continental reefs and the Seychelles, Comoros, and Mascarene Islands), the Chagos-Laccadives Ridge (including the Maldives), and the Andaman Sea (including India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Myanmar, and Thailand).
• More than 65 million people live within 30 km of a coral reef in the Indian Ocean region. Many of these populations rely on reefs for coastal protection, income, and food, with fishing and tourism serving as primary economic pillars across the region and specifically in the Maldives.
• Over 65 percent of reefs in the Indian Ocean are at risk from local threats, with one-third categorized as high or very high risk. More than 90 percent of reefs along continental shores are threatened. Overfishing is the primary threat, affecting at least 60 percent of reefs, particularly near the coastlines of southern India, Sri Lanka, southern Kenya, Tanzania, Thailand, and Sumatra. Dynamite fishing is noted as a localized problem primarily in Tanzania.
• Projections indicate that climate-related threats will push overall threat levels above 80 percent by 2030. By 2050, all areas are expected to be threatened by a combination of local and climate-related factors, with most facing high risk from thermal stress and moderate risk from acidification.
• Marine protected areas (MPAs) cover 19 percent of the region's coral reefs, with approximately 330 MPAs established. Effectiveness assessments for 58 percent of these MPAs found that just under half were partially effective and one quarter were ineffective.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). factsheet_reefs_indian_ocean-20a0d0ea50d0864a.pdf. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/factsheet_reefs_indian_ocean.pdf

Chicago

World Resources Institute. factsheet_reefs_indian_ocean-20a0d0ea50d0864a.pdf. n.d. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/factsheet_reefs_indian_ocean.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=factsheet_reefs_indian_ocean-20a0d0ea50d0864a.pdf |url=https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/factsheet_reefs_indian_ocean.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendfactsheetreefsindianocean20a0d0ea50d0864apdf, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{factsheet\_reefs\_indian\_ocean-20a0d0ea50d0864a.pdf}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/factsheet_reefs_indian_ocean.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }