Question

islands are equally important as other landforms justify the statement​

Answer 1

Answer:

Islands are home to some 600 million people—one-tenth of the world's population. Many islanders are endowed with unique cultures and derive much of their economic, environmental and cultural well-being directly or indirectly from the rich natural resources in their immediate environment. Islands harbour numerous discrete ecosystems, from mountain forests to wetlands and beyond, that provide food, fresh water, wood, fibre, medicines, fuel, tools and other important raw materials, in addition to aesthetic, spiritual, educational and recreational values, that support island livelihoods, economies and cultures. Island ecosystems also contribute to the maintenance of ecosystem functions: they provide defence against natural disasters, support nutrient cycling, and soil and sand formation; and they contribute to the regulation of climate and diseases.

While much the same can be said of biodiversity in other settings, the components of biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide is all the more critical on islands. Island economies, particularly those of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), are among the most vulnerable of the developing countries, considering the relative lack of economic alternatives available and such factors as:

· Small populations and economies

· Weak institutional capacity in both the public and the private sector

· Remoteness from international markets

· Susceptibility to natural disasters and climate change (including in particular sea-level rise from climate change)

· Fragility of land and marine ecosystems

· High cost of transportation

· Limited diversification in production and exports

· Dependence on international markets, export concentration, and income volatility

· Vulnerability to exogenous economic shocks.