Great Barrier Reef

• A UNESCO heritage committee recently stopped short of listing Australia’s Great Barrier Reef as a site that is “in danger” but warned the world’s biggest coral reef ecosystem remained under “serious threat” from pollution and the warming of oceans.

ABOUT GREAT BARRIER REEF

• The GBR, extends for over 2,300 kilometers along the northeastern coast of Queensland, Australia.
• It is composed of over 2,500 individual reefs of varying sizes and shapes and over 900 islands.
• It is the longest and largest coral reef system in the world.
• It is home to over 9,000 known species.
• It was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.
• Economic significance – It contributes about A$6 billion ($4 billion) to the economy and supports almost 64,000 jobs.