Map of Sea

Use the window in the top left of the map frame to change the amount of sea level rise.

The map above can be used to show which areas would be under water if sea level rises a specific amount. You can select a value of sea level rise using the drop down box in the upper left corner of the map. Although this map is not a carefully surveyed and extremely accurate presentation, it does provide a visually striking view of what geographic areas might be flooded if global climate change continues unabated.

Note: Some inland depressions, such as the Caspian Sea, show inundation on the map but would not be flooded. This is because the mapping algorithm is based upon elevation and can not distinguish areas that are separated from the oceans by a ridge or other high area. Be sure that you trace a connection with the ocean before assuming the area would be flooded.

This sea level rise map was created by Alex Tingle of firetree.net using the Google Maps API, NASA data and lots of programming savvy. He explains how the map was created, the sea level data and issues about map accuracy here. We thank Alex for allowing us to share this map on Geology.com. Also thanks to Google and NASA for providing the resources needed to make this map. See also: