Coral Sea
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[[Image:Coral Sea Islands.gif|thumb|200 px|right|A map of the Coral Sea Islands.]]
The '''Cloral Sea''' is a [[marginal sea]] off the north-east coast of [[Australia]]. It is bounded in the west by the east coast of [[Queensland]], thereby including the [[Great Barrier Reef]], in the east by the [[New Hebrides]] and by [[New Caledonia]], and in the north approximately by the southern extremity of the [[Solomon Islands]].<ref name="Pacific Islands Pilot"> [http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/websites/pollux/pollux.nss.nima.mil/NAV_PUBS/SD/pub127/127sec06.pdf]></ref> South of it is the [[Tasman Sea]].
While the [[Great Barrier Reef]] with its islands and cays belong to Queensland, most reefs and islets east of it are part of the [[Coral Sea Islands Territory]]. In addition, some islands west of and belonging to [[New Caledonia]] are also part of the Coral Sea Islands in a geographical sense, such as the [[Chesterfield Islands]] and [[Bellona Reefs]].
The Coral Sea [[basin (geology)|Basin]] was formed between 58 million - 48 million years ago because the Queensland continental shelf was uplifted, forming the [[Great Dividing Range]], and continental blocks subsided at the same time.<ref name="Geomorphology pp.19">{{cite book
| last = Hopley
| first = David
| coauthors = Smithers, Scott G.; Parnell, Kevin E.
| title = The geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef : development, diversity, and change
| year = 2007
| publisher = Cambridge : Cambridge University Press
| isbn = 0521853028
| page = pp.19
}}</ref>
The Coral Sea is ecologically an important source of coral for the [[Great Barrier Reef]], both during its formation and after sea level lowering.<ref name="Geomorphology pp.27">{{cite book
| last = Hopley
| first = David
| coauthors = Smithers, Scott G.; Parnell, Kevin E.
| title = The geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef : development, diversity, and change
| year = 2007
| publisher = Cambridge : Cambridge University Press
| isbn = 0521853028
| page = pp.27
}}</ref>
==History==
{{main|Battle of the Coral Sea}}
The sea was the location for a major confrontation during [[World War II]].
== See also ==
[[Image:Louisiade archipelago.jpg|thumb|200 px|A satellite image of the [[Louisiade Archipelago]] and the northern Coral Sea.]]
*[[USS Coral Sea (CV-43)|USS Coral Sea (aircraft carrier)]]
*[[Coral Sea Islands]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
* Community monitoring of reef sharks in the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef, Australia (2008) [http://www.auf-spearfishing.com.au/Documentation/Coral%20Sea%20Shark%20Report%202008-7.pdf Australian Underwater Federation]
{{coor title dms|16|56|03|S|155|06|36|E|type:waterbody}}
[[Category:Seas]]
[[Category:Landforms of Australia]]
[[Category:Great Barrier Reef]]
[[Category:Marginal seas of the Pacific Ocean]]
[[af:Koraalsee]]
[[bg:Коралово море]]
[[ca:Mar del Corall]]
[[cs:Korálové moře]]
[[de:Korallenmeer]]
[[et:Korallimeri]]
[[el:Θάλασσα των κοραλλίων]]
[[es:Mar del Coral]]
[[eo:Korala Maro]]
[[fa:دریای کورال]]
[[fr:Mer de Corail]]
[[gl:Mar do Coral]]
[[ko:산호해]]
[[it:Mar dei Coralli]]
[[he:ים האלמוגים]]
[[lv:Koraļļu jūra]]
[[lt:Koralų jūra]]
[[mn:Шүрэн тэнгис]]
[[nl:Koraalzee]]
[[ja:珊瑚海]]
[[no:Korallhavet]]
[[pl:Morze Koralowe]]
[[pt:Mar de Coral]]
[[ru:Коралловое море]]
[[sk:Koralové more]]
[[sr:Корално море]]
[[fi:Korallimeri]]
[[sv:Korallhavet]]
[[tg:Баҳри Марҷон]]
[[tr:Mercan Denizi]]
[[uk:Коралове море]]
[[zh:珊瑚海]]