The reef consists of 2,900 individual reefs. December 1, 2020. How Big is the Great Barrier Reef? Over 2,900 different individual reef systems make up the Great Barrier Reef, but saying that it’s the world’s largest reef system really doesn’t give anyone a true idea of just how big this structure is. The reef is actually made up of sections, some of the coral lays above water, some underneath. Providing storytellers and ambassadors within the tourism industry with up to date information and a leadership platform will ensure world-class representation of the Reef, its values and the management in place to protect those values. Add comment. The Great Barrier Reef tourism industry plays a vital role in presenting the values of the World Heritage Area to millions of visitors annually. "A vibrant coral population has millions of small, baby corals, as well as many large ones - the big mamas who produce most of the larvae," explains Andy Dietzel from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. In short, the Great Barrier Reef is gigantic, and happens to be the largest reef system found anywhere on Earth! These include Rockhampton, Mackay, Airlie … In fact, the Great Barrier Reef is so enormous, it is visible from outer space! The Great Barrier Reef is 2,300 km long and can be seen from space from its position off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Start your morning flight over Cairns, Palm Cove, Green Island and Double Island. It has always been a beacon for divers and marine biology enthusiasts but in recent years it has started to deteriorate, to the shock and sadness of many. Great Barrier Reef's corals in steep decline Climate change is irreversibly destroying the vast World Heritage-listed reef Published: October 14, 2020 08:14 AFP Apr 21, 2020. share this article . The Great Barrier Reef is an economic powerhouse, contributing more than $6.4 billion each year to the Australian economy and around 64,000 full-time jobs. To get a real age for the reef, one needs to look at the entire ecosystem. The Great Barrier Reef covers around 344,400 square kilometers (133,000 sq. On the Great Barrier Reef, we can find 1625 different species of fish, which is 10% of the whole planet’s fish population. The first recorded bleaching event along the Great Barrier Reef occurred in 1998 -- then the hottest year on record. The Great Barrier Reef is 2,300km long. mi). Dr Ira Cooke talks about genomics and its importance in the Great Barrier Reef's past, present and future. It is bigger than the Netherlands, Switzerland, and United Kingdom combined. How big is the Great Barrier Reef? The research spanned the entire 2,300 kilometres of the Great Barrier Reef and found a disturbing loss at pretty much every level. The reef isn’t a singular entity. The Great Barrier Reef is unique as it extends over 14 degrees of latitude, from shallow estuarine areas to deep oceanic waters. So how old is the Great Barrier Reef on this basis? However, it is under great threat. In normal numbers on healthy coral reefs, COTS are an important part of the ecosystem. Stretches about 2,500 km (1,553 miles) along the eastern Queensland coast, covering an area the size of Great Britain, Switzerland and the Netherlands combined. It is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia and is made up of around 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. football fields would fit inside the marine park. All you need to know is that it’s bigger than the UK and around the same size as Italy. The Great Barrier Reef is a mosaic of 2,900 individual reefs off the coast of Queensland in northeast Australia. Coral damaged during the 2020 bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef. Like it? Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef, which is so long it could cover the entire U.S. West Coast. Located off the coast of Far North Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world's largest coral reef system, with almost 3000 individual reefs and 900 islands. The Coral Reef system is nearly half the size of Texas. If the Great Barrier Reef was in North America, it would reach from … Finally, the Reef is a home for even 133 different types of sharks and rays. But this was still a fairly early version of what we know today. The Great Barrier Reef’s Great Big Complicated Story. Pandora Reef is approximately 10 metres in thickness; 1.8 metres of this coral has grown in the last 118 years. of World Heritage Listed area, which is slightly more than the 344,400 km2 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park area because it also includes some 980 islands, internal waters, intertidal areas and other state waters. Where is the Great Barrier Reef and how big is it? Green Island is a beautiful coral cay on the Great Barrier Reef. 18 min read. It runs alongside the northeastern coast of Australia, stretching southwards from the Torres Strait to a point just north of Fraser Island; a total distance of more than 2,300 km (1,428 miles). Headlines have portrayed Australia’s bucket-list destination as dead, or dying. The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef ecosystem and one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Great Barrier Reef. As the Great Barrier Reef Foundation points out on its site, global warming could hurt the Great Barrier Reef by causing ocean acidity, increasing severe weather events, and … Great Barrier Reef Facts For Kids. It’s in Australia Size and area. ; Coral bleaching as a result of global warming is a key reason for the reef's decline. The world’s largest coral reef is in serious danger. How To Get To The Great Barrier Reef. 2. Development stopped at the barrier reef stage, since Australia is not about to submerge. The Great Barrier Reef is at a critical tipping point that will determine its long-term survival. The Great Barrier Reef lies in tropical waters where temperatures are warm enough to offer enjoyable swimming and diving year round—though averages can vary 10°F (5.5°C) from winter to … 215 species of birds live and fly around the Reef. The Great Barrier Reef itself formed around 500,000 years ago. It formed the world's largest barrier reef, 300–1,000 m (980–3,280 ft) from shore, stretching for 2,000 km (1,200 mi). The Great Barrier Reef’s coral makes up approximately 344,400 square km of reef. The reef is actually a combination of over 2,900 individual coral reefs, which together cover an enormous area of 300,000 square kilometres. Size. 70M. By Juli Berwald. On this basis the whole 10 metre thickness of coral that makes up this reef would have taken only about 660 years to grow! 2. Made up of a network of 3,000 individual reef systems, islands, islets and sandbars 6 of the 7 known marine turtle species also live on the Reef. And by those numbers, it’s about 8,000 years old. The fact that the Great Barrier Reef can be seen from space, means you know it’s huge. Although the Great Barrier Reef formed along a continental shelf, and not around a volcanic island, Darwin's principles apply. T he Great Barrier Reef is one of nature’s most incredible wonders. The Great Barrier Reef has 900 islands. Not good with numbers? They tend to eat the faster growing corals which gives the slower growing species a chance to catch up, enhancing the coral diversity of our reefs. Experience the beauty of North Queensland from the air and the sea on this Scenic Flight and Reef tour from Big Cat Green Island Reef Cruises. Stretching over 1,400 miles off the coast of north-eastern Queensland and encompassing more than 900 islands and cays, it … Considering Great Barrier Reef facts can be difficult due to ambiguity. The Great Barrier Reef is a two-hour non-stop flight from Sydney, and a three-hour non-stop flight from Melbourne. For those of you who haven’t seen the reef in person and had the pleasure of diving to explore its vastness, you should know that the picture you have in mind may not be one hundred percent correct. Scientists are working frantically on strategies to help it adapt to global heating. Credit: ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. They are enjoying the company of 30 different types of whales and dolphins. The GBR is comprised of a number of individual reefs (2,900+) and beautiful islands (900+). The Great Barrier Reef is the biggest reef system on the planet and is spread over 300,000 square kilometres (186,000 square miles). It’s Super Big. Four more severe bleaching … In kilometers it is about 344,400 square kilometers. 348,000 km2. living structure on the planet, so big it’s visible from space. These spiky marine creatures occur naturally on reefs in the Indo Pacific region, including the Great Barrier Reef. The total area the Great Barrier occupies is estimated at 133,000 square miles. How Big Is The Great Barrier Reef? The Great Carrier Reef was “created” on the 17 th of May, 2006, when the US Navy towed the retired carrier out to sea, filled it with 500 pounds of strategically placed explosives, then detonated them in a series of tactical bursts.. After only 37 minutes and decades of storied service at sea, the USS Oriskany was laid to rest forever below the waves she once strode upon. Read on for the best ways to access the Great Barrier Reef -- no matter your starting point. Photo by Shutterstock . If you were able to put together Switzerland, Holland, and the United Kingdom together as one giant land mass, the Great Barrier Reef would still be bigger. how big is the great barrier reef, ... that, evolutionarily speaking, give the Great Barrier Reef's corals a leg up. Our next stop is Green Island! One ... Eakin. Share it! The Great Barrier Reef isn’t just one big hunk of coral. The outlook for the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef, has been determined to be “critical” for the first time, according to a leading conservation agency. 1981. the Reef was world heritage listed. 3. Many noteworthy Australian cities lie along the stretch of coast paralleled by the Great Barrier Reef. 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