What is the name of the world’s largest coral reef system, stretching along Australia’s northeast coast?

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, stretching along Australia’s northeast coast.

It lies in the Coral Sea off Queensland and extends for about 2,300 kilometres. The system includes roughly 2,900 individual reefs and about 900 islands, making it a vast collection of habitats rather than one continuous wall of coral.

The reef supports thousands of marine species, including corals, fish, sea turtles, dugongs, dolphins, and seabirds. Its ecosystems are shaped by tides, water temperature, storms, sunlight, and the growth of reef-building corals.

The Great Barrier Reef has been affected by coral bleaching, pollution, storms, and climate-driven ocean warming. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981. “Largest” refers to its overall reef system, not necessarily to the largest single coral colony or individual reef.