Which ocean surrounds the Great Barrier Reef?

The Coral Sea surrounds Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

The reef lies off the northeastern coast of Queensland and extends for more than 2,300 kilometres. It is the world’s largest coral reef system, made up of thousands of individual reefs and hundreds of islands. The reef is separated from the mainland coast by a shallow lagoon and occupies the western portion of the Coral Sea.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park was established in 1975 to protect the ecosystem. UNESCO listed the reef as a World Heritage Site in 1981. Its corals are vulnerable to marine heatwaves, which can cause bleaching when stressed corals expel the microscopic algae that provide much of their energy. The reef’s location in the Coral Sea distinguishes it from nearby waters such as the Tasman Sea.