🪸 Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems: New Caledonian barrier reef
Coral reef system in the South Pacific spanning 1,600 kilometres
📌 Fast Facts
- Length: 1,600 kilometres in an almost unbroken arc
- Status: Second-largest coral reef system globally
- Marine species: Over 9,300 recorded species, many endemic
- UNESCO inscription: 2008
The New Caledonian barrier reef is a coral reef system in the South Pacific that ranks as the second-largest on Earth. Stretching 1,600 kilometres in an almost unbroken arc around the islands of New Caledonia, it encompasses turquoise lagoons and deep-water ecosystems supporting over 9,300 recorded marine species, including organisms found nowhere else on Earth. The lagoons were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, recognising their exceptional biodiversity and ecological ...