What is the Great Barrier Reef?

The Great Barrier Reef is a marine park which is nearly 345,000 square kilometres in size. Considering its size, the Great Barrier Reef is larger than Ireland and the United Kingdom combined and is five times the size of Tasmania. It is also the breeding region for the humpback whales, which migrate from the Antarctica. In addition to the humpback whales, the Great Barrier Reef serves as the habitat for an immense variety of fish, coral, sharks, marine turtles and marine mammals. Many of the species of marine life that are found in the Great Barrier Reef are endangered species.

The location of the Great Barrier Reef

The stretch of the Great Barrier Reef runs almost parallel to the coast of Queensland, starting from the coastal town of Bundaberg and goes up beyond the tip of Cape York. While the Reef stretches over 3000 km in length, the width of the marine park varies from being 15 km to 150 km.

Why is the Great Barrier Reef famous?

The Great Barrier Reef is famous for the rich and diverse marine life, which is not found anywhere else in the world. It is a gathering of vivid, brilliant coral, which provide the divers and under-water enthusiasts a chance to view the most spectacular sights that they can ever imagine. The rich marine life in the Great Barrier Reef includes more than 1,500 species of fish, 134 species of rays and sharks including the endangered Dugong (Sea Cow), more than 400 types of hard coral, six of the seven species of the threatened marine turtles in the world, marine mammals of more than 30 species and several other marine creatures like reptiles, sea turtles, giant clams and birds.

The Great Barrier Reef has been recognised by the UNESCO and has been listed as a World Heritage Site. The natural beauty that the Great Barrier Reef has both above and below the surface of water has mesmerised tourists from all over the world. It is a popular tourist destination which is visited by thousands of visitors each year.

The Great Barrier Reef is not just a natural beauty, but it is a natural investment. The fishing and the tourism industry, which thrives because of the Great Barrier Reef, employs a large Australian population and brings in financial benefits to the Australian economy.

The Great Barrier Reef is like a safe haven for the various species of fish, corals and endangered marine life. Therefore, it is highly important to understand that it must be protected against the effects of global warming, which can threaten the existence of the reef in the future.

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