This is a guest post from Natasha Tasha.
Each year, millions of tourists travel to Queensland, Australia to view the magnificence of the Great Barrier Reef. This amazing natural structure is home to a vast variety of marine wildlife, birds and small living organisms. Viewable even from outer space, the Great Barrier Reef measures more than 2500 kilometers in length and is made up of nearly 3,000 separate coral reefs and more than 900 islands. Learn more amazing facts about this largest and most diverse coral reef in the world:
- The Great Barrier Reef is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. It houses more than 200 species of birds. approximately 400 different species of coral and 500 species of seaweed.
- Marine wildlife living in or around the reef includes over 1,500 species of fish. Seventeen species of sea snakes and at least six species of sea turtles also make their home in the reef. Thirty species of dolphins, whales and porpoises can be found swimming within the reef.
- The Great Barrier Reef attracts more than 1.6 million tourists from around the world yearly. An average of 4.5 million AUD is generated from tourism each year.
- More than 6000 commercial ships can be found operating within the Great Barrier Reef throughout the year.
- It is estimated that the Great Barrier Reef was likely formed about 18 million years ago. Environmental and climatic changes caused new reefs to grow over the original formations. The living reefs visible today are more than 8,000 years old and have been growing since the last Ice Age. The sandy islands surrounding the reef are thought to be only about 6,000 years old
- The Great Barrier Reef embodies an area of approximately 345,000 square kilometers. The reef is larger than many countries in the world. Only 62 countries globally encompass an area larger than the Great Barrier Reef.
- Some of the best places to view the Great Barrier Reef are Heron Island, Day Dream Island, Long Island, Port Douglas, Lizard Island, Green Island, Harrison Island and Whitehaven Beach.
- Scuba diving within and around the Great Barrier Reef is a popular activity. Tourists are welcome to view the magnificence of the reef and observe the amazing underwater world within it. However, it is forbidden to remove any piece of the coral reef. This law is put into place to protect the reef and the wildlife that make their home there. Any violation of this law is a punishable act that could result in large fines.
- The Red Bass is among the oldest species of fish found living in the Great Barrier Reef. This fish has an average life span of approximately 50 to 57 years.
- The Great Barrier Reef represents the most diverse variety of life of any location on the planet.
- A large portion of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Marine Park. Environmental dangers, such as climate changes and pollution, threaten the health of the reef. The crown-of-thorns starfish is also a natural threat to the Great Barrier Reef. This starfish is a predator of coral polyps. Large populations of this starfish can have a devastating effect on coral reefs. Other dangers include oil spills, fishing, shipping accidents and tropical cyclones. Some estimate that the Great Barrier Reef will be completely wiped out by the middle of the 21st century. At least 40% of mangroves and coral reefs located within the Great Barrier Reef have already been destroyed.
- The Great Barrier Reef was designated a World Heritage Site in 1981.
Great Barrier Reef Facts with InfoGraphic (Click to Enlarge):
Infographic produced by Paradise Bay Whitsunday Resort
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