COASTAL ZONE

Lands and waters near the coast, whose uses and ecology are affected by the sea.Coastal zones represent the interfaces between water and land, which is important since most of the world’s population live in these zones. Coastal zones are constantly changing due to the compelling relationship between the land and ocean. The degree of erosion and degradation is ever changing on a daily basis along these zones due to the weather pattern, specifically the degree of winds and waves. Coastal zones are extremely vulnerable to natural hazards as a result of the energy that reaches the coast that becomes very high during storms. In order to understand the hazards associated with the coastal zones, there needs to be an understanding of the relationship between the land and ocean. Specifically, how much energy the currents, tides, and waves produce throughout the coast.