Where is the Great Barrier Reef?
The Great Barrier Reef is off the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia. Stretching about 2,300 kilometers, it is the world's largest coral reef system.
The reef lies in the Coral Sea and is made up of about 2,900 individual reefs and around 900 islands. It covers an area of about 344,000 square kilometers, larger than Italy. It is built by billions of tiny animals called coral polyps, and it is often said to be the largest structure made by living things visible from space.
The reef is home to about 1,500 species of fish, 400 types of coral, sea turtles, dolphins, sharks and dugongs. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. Tourism, including diving, snorkeling and boat tours from towns like Cairns and Port Douglas, is a major industry.
Threats
Rising ocean temperatures cause coral bleaching, when stressed corals expel the algae that give them color and food. The reef has suffered several mass bleaching events since 2016. Pollution, crown-of-thorns starfish and storms are also threats. Australia has invested in efforts to protect it.
Did You Know?
The Great Barrier Reef is managed as a marine park, with zones that limit fishing and other activities to protect wildlife.