The Maldives consists of 1,192 coral islands grouped in a double chain of 26 atolls, that stretch along a length of  north to south,  east to west, spread over roughly , of which only  is dry land, making this one of the world's most dispersed countries. It lies between latitudes 1°S and 8°N, and longitudes 72° and 74°E. The atolls are composed of live coral reefs and sand bars, situated atop a submarine ridge  long that rises abruptly from the depths of the Indian Ocean and runs north to south.