Which sea lies between northeastern Australia and New Caledonia?

The sea between northeastern Australia and New Caledonia is the Coral Sea.

The Coral Sea is a marginal sea of the South Pacific, stretching along Queensland’s northeastern coast. Its western boundary includes Australia, while New Caledonia lies toward its eastern side. The sea covers roughly 4.8 million square kilometres and connects with neighboring waters including the Tasman Sea and Solomon Sea.

Its name reflects the many coral reefs and islands in the region, most famously Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The reef is the world’s largest coral reef system and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. The Coral Sea is also associated with the East Australian Current, which carries warm water southward along Australia’s coast.

A common mix-up is the Tasman Sea, which lies farther south between Australia and New Zealand. The Coral Sea was also the setting for the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942, a major World War II naval engagement that helped stop Japan’s planned seaborne invasion of Port Moresby.