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The Great Barrier Reef stretches 2300 kilometers (1400 miles) in the Coral Sea along Australia's northeastern coast.
It consists of 3,000 coral reefs plus many islets, atolls and coral cays.
The Great Barrier Reef supports 10,000 species including 1500 types of fishes and 200 kinds of birds. Other inhabitants include whales, dolphins and sea turtles.
The sheer beauty of its fish and coral waterscapes draws two million tourists annually who come to see the underwater spectacle via diving, snorkeling and glass-bottom boating.
The name "Great Barrier Reef" is a misnomer. The entity is really a collection of many distinct coral reefs.
This natural Australia wonder is a complex and delicate eco-system that can be damaged or even destroyed.
It's an intricate process, but here's a quick overview:
The lavish coral colors are not produced by the polyps. They are created by a photosynthesizing algae that lives symbiotically with the coral polyps.
Except during the polyps spawning season or after a storm, the Great Barrier Reef water is crystal clear. This makes underwater viewing superb.
Most visitors reach the Great Barrier Reef from the mainland port of Cairns (see map below).
Some visitors lodge in one of the Great Barrier Reef island resorts. Others live on cruise yachts (popular with snorkel and SCUBA diving enthusiasts). Still others take daytrip excursions out of Cairns.

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