-->

• The Coral Sea is a marginal sea in the Pacific Ocean located off the northeast coast of Australia. It includes a group of small and mostly uninhabited tropical islands and over 30 coral reefs and atolls.

• Fast Facts

  1. Formed between 58 million and 48 million years ago
  2. Located northeast of Queensland, Australia
  3. First charted in 1803Australia Adventures: Coral Sea Island
  4. Area: 780,000kmAustralia Adventures: Coral Sea Island
  5. Home of the Great Barrier Reef
  6. Tourism in the area brings in $9.4 million per yearEnvironmental News Network: Plunder or Protection: WWF Calls For Safeguarding Coral Sea
  7. Climate: Tropical
  8. In 1921, established a meteorological station on Willis Island
  9. In 1969, it was declared as Australia's territoryThe CIA World Factbook: Coral Sea Island
  10. A group of gay activist claimed the island as a sovereign gay territory

• Endangered Area

  Considered an important ecological area, as it is home to many endangered and threatened species, the Coral Sea's delicate ecosystem is threatened by overfishing, coral bleaching, and proposed oil and gas exploration.

• Historic Battle

  The Coral Sea was the setting for an historic battle during World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the United States and Australia.http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/coralsea/coralsea.htm

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Coral Reef | Australia | Great Barrier Reef Vacation | Cairns Vacation | Cairns Hotels | Cairns Restaurants | Sharks | Whales | Dolphins | Marine Biology | How to Become a Marine Biologist

Categories

• View History
• Discuss on the Message Board
• Embed this Page
• Share this page