Coral Sea 309666 223000234 2008-07-02T03:08:10Z 71.59.225.251 {{otheruses}} [[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]]