These are the countries are most threatened by rising sea levels

The 1200 islands of the Maldives are the world's lowest lying country, with an average elevation of 1.5 metres above sea level.

The highest natural point in the Maldives is just 5.1 metres above sea level, and these islands are uniquely susceptible to rising sea levels.

King tides regularly lap at Male, the capital.

Envisaging that some its inhabited islands might become uninhabitable, the government of the Maldives is constructing a number of artificial islands enclosed by walls several metres above sea level.

Closer to Australia, Tuvalu and Kiribati are two nations most at threat from rising sea levels, yet they lack the financial resources of the Maldives which would enable them to undertake remedial measures.

On the latest predictions, Tuvalu might be uninhabitable by 2050, with Kiribati disappearing by 2100 on current predictions.

Living below sea level is not a death sentence. About one third of the total landmass of The Netherlands lies below sea level, yet a complex system of dykes, pumps and other engineering works ensures that The Netherlands stays dry, if not high.