Great Barrier Reef

1. Tourism

1.1. Diving

1.2. Snorkeling

1.3. Skydiving

1.4. Glass Bottom Boat

1.5. Seawalker

1.6. tourism worth A$6.4 billion annually and employs more than 64,000 people

2. Biodiversity

2.1. Islands

2.1.1. includes about 1050 islands ranging from small coral cays to large continental islands.

2.2. Animals

2.2.1. 1625 species of fish

2.2.2. More than 3000 species of molluscs (shells)

2.2.3. 630 species of echinoderm (starfish, sea urchins)

2.2.4. Six of the world's seven species of marine turtle

2.2.5. ..and many more

2.3. Corals

2.3.1. Includes 1400 coral reef species

3. Environmental Threats

3.1. ocean warming which increases coral bleaching

3.2. Farming practices as a pollutant damage the reef due to overgrazing

3.3. Pesticides used in farming are made up of heavy metals which has a detrimental effect on the coral

4. Geography

4.1. It has 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometers

4.2. An area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres

5. Facts

5.1. It is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem

5.2. The area is bigger than the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Holland combined

5.3. CNN labelled it one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

5.4. roughly the same area as Japan, Germany, Malaysia or Italy

6. What ?

6.1. The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system

6.1.1. It composed of over 2,900 individual reefs

7. Where ?

7.1. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia.