Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The Great Barrier Reef, which spans over 2,300 kilometers over an area of over 344,400 square kilometers, is the biggest coral reef system in the world. It is made up of over 2,900 distinct reefs and 900 islands. The reef lies in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia, and is divided from the shore by a channel that is more than 200 feet deep and up to 100 miles wide in some areas. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest single structure created by living things that can be observed from space.

The Great Barrier Reef's huge size and stunning hues were a challenge to Pixar animators. There are 2,300 kilometers of coral reefs and islands, but other natural wonders also abound. As they eat and establish homes there, the fish add swirls of their own colors. However, because of the death of the coral, which is extremely sensitive to water temperatures, due to rising oceans, the reef has lost some of its color. The coral reef bleached out in vast areas over hundreds of kilometers last summer, and experts fear the next mass extinction is not far off.

The Great Barrier Reef is a significant component of the traditions and spirituality of the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who have long known about it and exploited it. Tourists love to visit the reef, especially those from the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns. With an annual economic output of nearly $3 billion AUD, tourism is a significant industry in the area.

Location: Off the east coast of the Queensland mainland, Australia