noun
- ring-shaped coral reefs or islands that encircle a lagoon
Examples
- The Maldives consists of numerous atolls scattered across the Indian Ocean.
- Scientists study how atolls form around volcanic islands over thousands of years.
- Many Pacific atolls are threatened by rising sea levels.
- The atoll’s crystal-clear lagoon attracts divers from around the world.
- Small communities live on some of the larger atolls in the region.
- Climate change poses serious risks to low-lying atolls.