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Fastest Disappearing Natural Wonders
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Indonesian Archipelago
Jakarta meteorologist Armu Susandi predicts that this idyllic archipelago will lose 2,000 islands and 154,000 square miles of land—including 10 percent of Papua and 5 percent of both Java and Sumatra—by 2080. And Jakarta, built at the confluence of 13 low-lying rivers—and now with a greater population than New York—is no exception. Susandi estimates that by 2050, roughly a quarter of Jakarta will vanish, including the international airport.
How to See It Now: With its limited shore infrastructure, the best way to see little known islands such as Alor, Sangliat Dol, Maluku, and Komodo (home to the Komodo dragon) is on an expedition ship with a green bill of health. Luxury cruise operator Orion Expeditions was one of the first of its kind to be Green Globe certified.
