Asia's 25 Places to See Before They Disappear

Asia's 25 Places to See Before They Disappear Part 1

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Gujarat , India
The nation’s largest producer of cotton and salt, Gujarat is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. In 2005 and 2006 heavy monsoons caused severe flooding, killing more than 1,000 people and devastating both infrastructure and agriculture. Climate change is expected to lead to increasingly unpredictable monsoon rains and floods.



Maladives, Indian Ocean
Famous for its 1,200 tropical islands, snow-white beaches, swaying palm trees, and richly colored coral reefs, the Republic of Maldives stretches across more than 600 miles. With 80 percent of the country less than 3.3 feet above sea level, rising ocean levels and a potential increase in the intensity of tropical storms pose a serious threat



Bangkok , Thailand
Bangkok is a tropical metropolis where the traditional East meets the modernity of the West. But geography exposes it to flooding, especially during the monsoon season. The city is already sinking due to its soft underground, heavy urbanization, and excessive pumping of groundwater. Much of Bangkok could be underwater before the end of the century.



Cherrapunji , India
Shrouded in clouds and surrounded by waterfalls, Cherrapunji is one of the wettest places on Earth. Paradoxically, its residents face water shortages, since there is generally no rain for nearly eight months of the year. Rainfall has decreased over the last century, and erosion from deforestation limits the ground’s capacity to store rainwater.



Komodo Island , Indonesia
The sea surrounding Komodo provides some of the world’s best diving, thanks to its spectacular fish and coral reefs. The island is also home to Komodo dragons, lizards that grow up to 10 feet long. Rising sea levels threaten to flood its mangrove forests and beaches, while increased acidification and rising surface temperatures may eventually kill the coral.



Mount Al Makmal , Lebanon
At one time the plains and mountains of Lebanon were densely covered with majestic cedar trees. Today, the remains of the immense forests are found on the high slopes of Mount al-Makmal in northern Lebanon . The last ancient cedars face a severe threat from rising temperatures and decreases in precipitation, which could leave Makmal’s slopes barren.



Ganges Delta , Bangladesh
Nutrients from the two great rivers of Ganges and Brahmaputra feed the soil of the paddies in the low-lying Ganges Delta. Some 300 million people depend on the crops produced here. The delta spreads over a massive 65,000 square miles. Climate change could increase rainfall and cause more frequent flooding and monsoons.



Tokyo
Tokyo is one of the world’s greatest metropolises. But it now suffers from a phenomenon known as “heat islands,” a characteristic of mega cities in which artificial heat from car exhaust and factory emissions creates a local greenhouse effect. If global temperatures continue to rise, the heat in big cities like Tokyo could increase.



Tian Shan , Kasakhstan
Farmers and cattle breeders at the foot of the Tian Shan mountain range have been dependent on meltwater from Central Asian glaciers for 3,000 years. But in the past 50 years, the glaciers have lost about 36 percent of their mass. With temperatures projected to increase, water may be limited at a time when demand is growing quickly



Kushiro Marsh , Japan
Today the red-crowned crane is the second-rarest crane species in the world. There are about 1,200 in Hokkaido, where they breed, stalk the fields, and perform wild courtship dances.Their habitat is shrinking as massive developments, deforestation, and rising sea levels threaten the Kushiro marshland.