Which country is home to most of the Great Barrier Reef?

Australia is home to most of the Great Barrier Reef.

The Great Barrier Reef lies in the Coral Sea off the northeastern coast of Queensland. It is the world’s largest coral reef system, extending for roughly 2,300 kilometres and comprising thousands of individual reefs and hundreds of islands. The reef is within Australian waters and is protected through marine park management.

It is not a single solid reef or one uninterrupted wall. It is a vast network built mainly by living coral organisms over long periods, with habitats that include lagoons, seagrass beds, mangroves and sandy islands. The system supports turtles, reef fish, sharks, seabirds and many other organisms.

The Great Barrier Reef was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981. Coral bleaching, driven especially by unusually warm water, is a major conservation concern. Bleaching can stress corals, although affected colonies may recover if conditions improve.