The largest reef system on the planet. An ecosystem on a planetary scale
The Great Barrier Reef is home to an enormous diversity of tropical fish and invertebrates. With a length of more than 2,000 kilometres, it is the largest reef system in the world.
It is a living structure so colossal in scale that it has traditionally been described as the only biological structure visible from space, which gives an idea of its magnitude and spectacular nature.
Australia and the Great Barrier
Australia, this gigantic island located between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, is considered a continent due to its size. With approximately:
- 4,000 km from east to west
- 3,200 km from north to south
Along its north-east coast lies the Great Barrier Reef, forming a unique marine ecosystem on a global scale.
It’s not a single reef, it’s a mosaic of thousands of reefs
The Great Barrier Reef is not made up of a single reef, but of an impressive collection of around 2,000 coastal reefs, many of them around 8 km² each.
This mosaic of reefs creates an enormous variety of marine habitats that are home to thousands of species of tropical fish, hard and soft corals, and invertebrates of spectacular shapes and colours.
A natural heritage in danger
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the planet’s greatest natural treasures, but also one of the most threatened ecosystems, due to climate change, rising water temperatures and other human impacts.
Its conservation is key not only for Australia, but for the balance of the oceans on a global scale.
