Great Barrier Reef
Australia ·
Description
The Great Barrier is an underwater universe of 2,300 kilometers where blue fragments into infinite hues. Impossibly shaped corals shelter century-old turtles, reef sharks and clouds of tropical fish. Each dive reveals a new world: anemone gardens, mantas gliding like birds, and bioluminescence lighting up the nights.
Why It's a World Heritage Site
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest and most complex reef ecosystem. It hosts 400 types of coral, 1,500 fish species and 4,000 mollusk species. It is crucial for marine science and represents millions of years of evolution in a living, interconnected system.
UNESCO Criteria
Frequently Asked Questions
For being the world's largest coral ecosystem, with exceptional biodiversity and unique geological formations.
It was inscribed in 1981, being one of the first natural sites on the UNESCO list.
Off the coast of Queensland, Australia, extending 2,300 km.
June to October: best visibility, fewer jellyfish and pleasant temperature.
Yes, bleaching from global warming threatens its survival; visiting responsibly is crucial.