15 places that are disappearing faster than you thought

It's a well-known fact that many of the world's most beautiful places are disappearing, largely because of climate change, deforestation, rising sea levels, the demands of industry and even tourism. But many of us are unaware just how quickly many of these places are vanishing from the map. You may have fallen in love with Venice or climbed the famous Machu Picchu, without realising that, in just a few years time, these incredible destinations may no longer be there.

We're not going to tell you to go and see these places - because there's no doubt that tourism itself is having devastating effects on many world heritage sites, including the Great Barrier Reef, for example. But climate change and economic demands are also playing a devastating part in changing our world. In Bolivia, where you will find the weird but wonderful Salar de Uyuni salt flat, also lies half of the planet's lithium reserves which are being extracted by the Bolivian government. Demand for the wonder metal that fires our smartphones is increasing and could sadly see this stunning attraction disappear. Meanwhile, Tibet's language and culture is under threat as new laws are replacing Tibetan lessons with Chinese Mandarin and the Dalai Lama is urging the Tibetan people to preserve their culture by keeping the language and traditions alive.

From the shrinking Swiss Alps to the declining Great Barrier Reef, here are some of the world's most precious places that are at risk of disappearing