| The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Queensland, Australia (northeast corner of the continent). Extending more than 2,000 km (1,200 mi) in length, it is the longest coral reef in the world. The reef is threatened by increased shipping and tourism. Protection has been provided by the establishment of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in 1975 and laws prohibiting touching, removal or destruction of reef habitat. |
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This image shows approximately 240 km (148 mi) of the reef taken from the Large Format Camera. The Queensland coast is at left. Several reef forms shaped by the coastal environment can be seen (light blue). At top, fringing reefs hug the coastline in shallow water. Ribbon reefs, marking where the continental shelf abruptly drops into deeper water, can be seen further off the coast. Crescent shaped platform reefs dominate on wider portions of the continental shelf, south of Cairns (bottom of this image). Platform reefs are shaped by Coral Sea swells which cause sand to accumulate on the leeward side of the reef.
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