What is Great Barrier Reef?
{{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site |WHS=Great Barrier Reef |Image=GreatBarrierReef-EO.JPG |Caption =Satellite image of part of the Great Barrier Reef adjacent to the Queensland coastal areas of [[Airlie Beach]] and [[Mackay, Queensland|Mackay]]. |ID=154 |Year=1981 |Criteria=Natural: vii, viii, ix, x |Location=Off the east coast of the [[Queensland]] mainland, Australia |Coordinates={{coord|18|17|10|S|147|42|00|E|display=inline,title}} |Area= 34,870,000 ha |locmapin=Australia Queensland#Australia |map_caption=Center of the Great Barrier Reef |Website={{URL|http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/}} }} [[File:GreatBarrierReef-EO.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Satellite picture of part of the Great Barrier Reef]] The '''Great Barrier Reef''' is the world's largest [[coral reef]] stretching over 1,400 miles.<ref>{{Cite web|last=US Department of Commerce|first=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|title=What is the Great Barrier Reef?|url=https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/gbrlargeststructure.html#:~:text=Stretching%20for%201,429%20miles%20over,Australia,%20in%20the%20Coral%20Sea.|access-date=2024-08-25|website=oceanservice.noaa.gov|language=EN-US}}</ref> It is near the coast of [[Queensland]], [[Australia]]. It is made up of nearly 2900 coral reefs and over 600 [[island]]s.<ref name=CRCage/> It is 327,800&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> big and 2600&nbsp;km long. It has been listed an important [[World Heritage Site]] by [[UNESCO]]. The Great Barrier Reef is the biggest structure made by living things. It can be seen from [[outer space]].<ref>{{cite web | last =Bellfield | first =Sarah | authorlink = | title =Great Barrier Reef: no buried treasure | work =Geoscience Australia | publisher = | date =February 8, 2002 | url =http://www.ga.gov.au/media/releases/2002/1013133456_20385.jsp | format = | doi = | accessdate =December 1, 2008 | archive-date =October 1, 2007 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20071001045912/http://www.ga.gov.au/media/releases/2002/1013133456_20385.jsp | url-status =dead }}</ref> The Reefs are threatened.<ref>[