This is a list of notable reefs.

Locations of coral reefs around the world

Reefs

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Name image Location Coordinates Notes
 
 
Red Sea to Madagascar 0°03′05″S 50°50′46″E / 0.051377°S 50.846055°E / -0.051377; 50.846055
Amazon Reef
 
 
Off the coast of French Guiana and northern Brazil 1°N 49°W / 1°N 49°W / 1; -49 The Amazon Reef (also referred to as the Amazonian Reef) is an extensive coral and sponge reef system, located off the coast of French Guiana and northern Brazil. It is one of the largest reef systems in the world known to exist, with scientists estimating its length to be over 600 miles (970 km) long, and covering over 3,600 square miles (9,300 km²) of area.[1]
Angria Bank
 
 
Off the coast of Vijaydurg, Maharashtra, India 16°26′N 72°02′E / 16.43°N 72.03°E / 16.43; 72.03
Apo Reef   Mindoro Strait, Philippines 12°39′42″N 120°24′52″E / 12.66167°N 120.4144°E / 12.66167; 120.4144 This is the Philippines' largest reef and the world's second-largest contiguous coral reef system.
Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park
 
 
Cozumel, Mexico 20°10′25″N 87°00′46″W / 20.1737°N 87.0129°W / 20.1737; -87.0129 Part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System
Bar Reef
 
 
Kalpitiya peninsula, Sri Lanka 8°13′48″N 79°26′24″E / 8.2300°N 79.4400°E / 8.2300; 79.4400 This coral reef has more biodiversity than in any of the waters of India. It is one of only a few pristine systems in Sri Lanka.
Belize Barrier Reef   Belize 17°11′08″N 87°19′26″W / 17.1856°N 87.324°W / 17.1856; -87.324 This is the second biggest coral reef system on Earth, the largest being the Great Barrier Reef. It is approximately one third the size of the 900km long Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System.
Benares Shoals   Peros Banhos atoll, northern Chagos Archipelago 5°09′S 71°24′E / 5.15°S 071.40°E / -5.15; 071.40
Blake Plateau reef   Southeastern United States 31°N 79°W / 31°N 79°W / 31; -79
Bunaken National Marine Park
 
 
North Sulawesi, Indonesia 1°40′12″N 124°45′00″E / 1.6700°N 124.7500°E / 1.6700; 124.7500 Bunaken National Park is renowned as one of the world’s best diving and snorkeling destinations. Approximately 97% of the park's area consists of sea, with more than 390 types of coral reefs decorating its seabed. The coral reefs in Bunaken are formed as part of the Indo-Pacific coral reef ecosystem, and are known as one of the highest marine biodiversity in the world.
Coral Triangle Mainly Indonesia 3°58′13″N 134°49′10″E / 3.970166°N 134.819424°E / 3.970166; 134.819424 Called the "Amazon of the seas", this is a large area defined within a triangular area in the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.
Daintree Reef
 
 
Coral Sea, Queensland, Australia 16°01′58″S 145°26′06″E / 16.032856°S 145.434958°E / -16.032856; 145.434958 Named after geologist and photographer Richard Daintree, this system is adjacent to the Daintree Rainforest.
Darwin Mounds
 
 
Off the northwest coast of Scotland 59°27′N 7°08′W / 59.45°N 7.13°W / 59.45; -7.13 Located around 1,000 m (3,280 feet) below the surface, this system consists of a big field of sand mounds.
Filippo Reef   450 km east of Starbuck Island in the Pacific Ocean 5°18′S 151°30′W / 05.30°S 151.50°W / -05.30; -151.50
Flinders Reef
 
 
Off Moreton Island in the Coral Sea, Queensland, Australia 26°59′18″S 153°26′31.4″E / 26.98833°S 153.442056°E / -26.98833; 153.442056
French Frigate Shoals   Northwestern Hawaiian Islands 23°26′44″N 166°50′46″W / 23.4456°N 166.846°W / 23.4456; -166.846 This is a 32-kilometre (20 mi; 17 nmi) long, crescent-shaped reef maintained by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service as a field station within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
Great Barrier Reef   Coral Sea, Queensland, Australia[2] 18°10′16″S 147°25′12″E / 18.1710°S 147.4200°E / -18.1710; 147.4200 The largest in the world
Isla Pérez   Gulf of Mexico 22°14′02″N 89°25′12″W / 22.2340°N 89.4200°W / 22.2340; -89.4200
Kingman Reef   North Pacific Ocean 6°14′N 162°15′W / 6.23°N 162.25°W / 6.23; -162.25 Roughly triangular in shape
Lansdowne Bank   Coral Sea 20°21′S 160°18′E / 20.35°S 160.30°E / -20.35; 160.30 This is one of the biggest banks on Earth.
Lyra Reef
 
 
Papua New Guinea 1°27′S 153°12′E / 1.45°S 153.20°E / -1.45; 153.20
Manuel Luis Reefs
 
 
Brazil 0°54′48″S 44°19′10″W / 0.913302°S 44.319530°W / -0.913302; -44.319530 The largest coral reef of South America.[3]
Maro Reef   Northwestern Hawaiian Islands 25°24′54″N 170°35′24″W / 25.415°N 170.590°W / 25.415; -170.590 This reef is named after the ship Maro, captained by Captain Joseph Allen who discovered the reef in 1820.
Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System
 
 
From the Yucatán Peninsula to Honduras 18°20′38″N 87°25′18″W / 18.343938°N 87.421764°W / 18.343938; -87.421764 Also known as the Great Mayan Reef or Great Maya Reef, this is a World Heritage Site.
Mexico Rocks
 
 
Ambergris Caye, Belize 18°03′01″N 87°33′19″W / 18.05021°N 87.555174°W / 18.05021; -87.555174 This area consists mainly of boulder corals and comprises about 100 Holocene patch reefs in a cluster on a ridge made of Pleistocene limestone.
Miami Terrace Reef   Florida, United States 25°27′N 79°33′W / 25.45°N 79.55°W / 25.45; -79.55 This is a deep reef system that lies at 200 to 600 metres (656 to 1,969 ft) below sea level.
Minami-Tori-shima   Japan 24°10′16″N 153°35′06″E / 24.1712°N 153.5850°E / 24.1712; 153.5850
Minerva Reefs   Fiji and Tonga 23°23′S 178°32′W / 23.38°S 178.54°W / -23.38; -178.54
Miri-Sibuti Coral Reef National Park
 
 
Sarawak, Malaysia 4°11′N 113°31′E / 4.19°N 113.51°E / 4.19; 113.51 This is a protected area and popular dive site.
Necker Island
 
 
Northwestern Hawaiian Islands 23°34′30″N 164°42′01″W / 23.575°N 164.700278°W / 23.575; -164.700278 Included within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The second-largest marine habitat in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, totaling 385,000 acres (156,000 ha). Lacks a fringing reef but has a shallow reef, beyond which extend deep-water coral shelves for many miles. Habitat includes 16 species of stony coral and is the easternmost place in the Hawaiian Islands where table corals of the genus Acropora are found.
New Caledonia Barrier Reef   New Caledonia 20°14′39″S 164°20′09″E / 20.2443°S 164.3359°E / -20.2443; 164.3359 This is a double-barrier coral reef, and the second-longest on Earth, the longest being the Belize Barrier Reef.
Ningaloo Coast
 
 
Western Australia 22°20′04″S 113°29′01″E / 22.3345°S 113.4837°E / -22.3345; 113.4837 A World Heritage Site, this reef is noted for whale sharks.
North East Reef   Western Australia 28°15′05″S 113°29′03″E / 28.2513°S 113.4841°E / -28.2513; 113.4841
Osprey Reef   Coral Sea, Australia 13°54′29″S 146°36′55″E / 13.90806°S 146.61528°E / -13.90806; 146.61528
Palancar Reef
 
 
Cozumel, Mexico 20°17′48″N 87°01′06″W / 20.296685°N 87.018439°W / 20.296685; -87.018439 A popular diving location, this is part of the Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park.
Qixingyan (Taiwan)
 
 
Pingtung County, Taiwan 21°27′12″N 120°29′34″E / 21.453198°N 120.492894°E / 21.453198; 120.492894 This is a shallow system with parts being visible at low tide. Many shipwrecks have occurred here.
Reunion Island's coral reef   Réunion 21°05′06″S 55°13′17″E / 21.0851°S 55.2214°E / -21.0851; 55.2214 Threatened in recent times by an increase in human exploitation as well as pollution
Røst Reef
 
 
Lofoten, Norway 67°29′02″N 12°01′08″E / 67.483951°N 12.018849°E / 67.483951; 12.018849 This is the largest Lophelia reef known, and the biggest known deep-water coral reef system.
Scorpion Reef   Yucatán, Mexico 22°13′33″N 89°24′21″W / 22.2258°N 89.40578°W / 22.2258; -89.40578 This reef is part of the Campeche Bank archipelago.
Sha`b Abu Nuhas
 
 
Northern Red Sea 27°34′01″N 33°55′01″E / 27.567°N 33.917°E / 27.567; 33.917 Considered a hazard to ships, this is a popular diving site.
South Sentinel Island
 
 
Andaman Islands 10°35′02″N 92°07′54″E / 10.5840°N 92.1318°E / 10.5840; 92.1318
Sula Reef
 
 
Sør-Trøndelag, Norway This reef is composed of Lophelia pertusa coral.
Tubbataha Reef
 
 
Sulu Sea, Philippines 8°33′N 119°33′E / 8.55°N 119.55°E / 8.55; 119.55 This reef system contains a very high density of different species and is designated a World Heritage Site. Tubbataha reef is the world's richest and most pristine reef.
Virgin Islands
 
 
Caribbean Sea 18°00′N 65°00′W / 18.0°N 65.0°W / 18.0; -65.0 Scleractinian corals, Millepora.
Yabiji
 
 
Ryukyu Islands 25°00′00″N 125°16′00″E / 25.0°N 125.266667°E / 25.0; 125.266667 Reef grouop composed of about 300 kinds of corals.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Vidal, John (April 23, 2016). "Huge coral reef discovered at Amazon river mouth". The Guardian. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
  2. ^ "Definition of GREAT BARRIER REEF".
  3. ^ Edison Lobão; Fernando César de Moreira Mesquita (11 June 1991), Decreto nº 11.902 de 11 de Junho de 1991 (PDF) (in Portuguese), State of Maranhão, retrieved 2016-08-03