Great Barrier Reef Quick Facts
Australia

How big is the Great Barrier Reef?


The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest reef system. The Great Barrier Reef has over 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres. It can be seen from outer space, and is greater in size than the United Kingdom, Holland and Switzerland, combined. For a more local equivalent, it is about half the size of the state of Texas (so, big!).

How many species live on the Great Barrier Reef?


Thirty species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises have been recorded in the Great Barrier Reef. Six species of sea turtles come to the reef to breed, each year in their respective mating seasons. 215 species of birds (including 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of shorebirds) visit the reef or nest or roost on the islands.

The largest collection of species that call the reef home, is of course, the fish. There are more than 1,500 species of fish here, which represents ten percent of the world’s total fish species.
Learn more about the Great Barrier Reef.

How old is the Great Barrier Reef?


The Great Barrier Reef is an extremely ancient, enormous host of living things, composed of living coral growing on dead coral dating back perhaps as much as twenty million years. Learn more about the History of the Great Barrier Reef.

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