There are 197 countries in the world and each and every one of them has it’s own uniqueness. It may feel as though land covers majority of the earth, but we’re wrong. Reliable sources such as NASA and USGS tell us that 71% of the earth is filled with water. The rest is land!
When you think about it this way, it’s pretty shocking! I mean, do we only take up 29% of the earth! It sure does feel like more than that.
Why am I mentioning this anyways?
It’s because, from all the countries that are predicted to disappear by the year 2050, some of them will be underwater. Why? Well, it’s mainly due to things such as groundwater pumping and the economical situation. But, the driving factor for a lot of these countries is their close proximity to the coast and the rising sea levels.
Bangladesh
Whilst predictions tell us that not all of Bangladesh will be underwater by the year 2050, it’s capital, Dhaka, most definitely will be. Having visited Bangladesh as a child, I noticed how much of the country was already covered with water. It’s no wonder that the staple food there is fish and rice! The extremely sad part of this story is that Bangladesh as a country is one of the least guilty when it comes to emissions driving climate change. Not only that, but Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, covering only a land mass of 148,460 km². This could potentially mean many people having to migrate and find new homes.
Kiribati
There’s no doubt that a country as small as Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean will soon be underwater. Sea levels there are rising very fast and the president already has started to send people off to New Zealand. Predictions tell us that we may only have until the end of the century at the latest to get all 100,000 inhabitants off of the Island.
Venice
Italy’s capital of love and romance has a salient feature; it’s all on water! Whilst this is a reason to visit for many, it’s also something to be concerned about as Venice goes down on the World Monuments Fund (WMF) list of places under threat. Venice does not necessarily have a problem with rising levels of sea. The are two reason why this country may be under water soon. Firstly, it seems that the city’s buildings are very slowly sinking into the Adriatic. Secondly, the impact of the dredging requirements of ships and the movement of large ships are causing the city to slowly sink into the water! Visit this city whilst you can as it may not be around for generations to come.
Muslims Go Travel 