Which barrier reef off the coast of Australia is a World Heritage Site?

The barrier reef off the coast of Australia that is a World Heritage Site is the Great Barrier Reef.

Stretching for more than 2,300 kilometres along Queensland’s northeastern coast, the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. It is not one continuous reef, but a vast network of thousands of reefs and hundreds of islands built by tiny coral polyps. Its shallow tropical waters support fish, sea turtles, seabirds, sharks and many other species.

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981 because of its exceptional natural beauty, biodiversity and geological importance. It is also the largest structure on Earth made by living organisms and can be seen from space, although popular descriptions sometimes exaggerate how clearly it is visible.

The Belize Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef are also major reef systems, but they are not the Australian site described here. The Red Sea Coral Reef is another distinct marine ecosystem, spread along the shores of the Red Sea.