Facts About the Great Barrier Reef.

This magnificent natural feature provides home for a huge diversity of birds, wildlife, and small organisms.

The Great Barrier Reef is more than 2500 kilometres long, consisting of over 900 islands and almost 3000 individual coral reefs.

The Reef is even visible from space.

These incredible facts relating to the most diverse coral reef on Earth are just the beginning.

It has been estimated that the Great Barrier Reef formed approximately 18 million years ago.

New reef formations continue to grow over the original formations because of climate and environmental change.

The reefs that are currently visible have been growing since the most recent Ice Age, meaning that they are over 8000 years old.

The islands that surround the reef, however, are only around 6000 years old.

Over 1.6 million tourists worldwide are drawn to The Great Barrier Reef each year, bringing in an average of 4.5 million AUD.

The Great Barrier Reef is larger than many of the world’s countries, being an area of about 345,000 square kilometres.

There are only 62 countries on Earth that are larger in area than this.

Over 6000 commercial ships operate within the Great Barrier Reef annually.

It is against the law to remove a piece of coral from The Reef.

This is to protect it and the wildlife that makes a home in it.

Taking a piece of the coral can result in a fine.

The Great Barrier Reef has the most diverse wildlife of any location on Earth.

Seventeen species of sea snakes, at least six species of sea turtles, thirty species of dolphins, whales, and porpoises, and more than 1500 species of fish can be found in and around The Reef – and this is just to name a few.

Some scientists estimate that the Great Barrier Reef will have been utterly wiped out by environmental dangers by the middle of the 21st century.

About 40% of the Great Barrier Reef has already been destroyed.

In 1981, The Reef was designated as a World Heritage Site.

The Great Barrier Reef is a home to over 200 bird species. It also contains about 500 seaweed species and 400 distinct species of coral.

The Great Barrier Reef is counted among the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

Article contributed by Natasha at Travelzzle, thanks Natasha.

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