New Caledonia Barrier Reef
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2008-07-10T12:00:34Z
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/220.247.234.224|220.247.234.224]] to last version by Chrishomingtang (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]])
{{Infobox World Heritage Site
| WHS = Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems
| Image =
| State Party = {{FRA}}
| Type = Natural
| Criteria = vii, ix, x
| ID = 1115
| Region = [[List of World Heritage Sites in Europe|Europe and North America]]
| Year = 2008
| Session = 32nd
| Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1115
| Coordinates =
}}
The '''New Caledonia Barrier Reef''' is located in [[New Caledonia]] in the [[Oceania|South Pacific]], and is the second-longest [[coral reef]] in the world, after [[Australia]]'s [[Great Barrier Reef]].
The New Caledonia Barrier reef surrounds Grand Terre, [[New Caledonia]]'s largest island, as well as the [[Ile des Pins]] and several smaller islands, reaching a length of 1500 km. The reef encloses a lagoon of 24,000km², which has an average depth of 25 meters. The reefs lie up to 30 kilometers from the shore, but extend almost 200 km to the Entrecasteaux reefs in the northwest. This northwestern extension encloses the [[Belep Islands]] and other sand [[cay]]s. Several natural passages open out to the ocean. The Boulari passage, which leads to [[Noumea]], the capital and chief port of New Caledonia, is marked by the Amedee lighthouse.
The reef has great species diversity with a high level of endemism, and is home to endangered [[dugong]]s ''(Dugong dugon)'', and is an important nesting site for [[Green Sea Turtle]] ''(Chelonia mydas)''.
Most of the reefs are generally thought to be in good health. Some of the eastern reefs have been damaged by effluent from [[nickel]] mining on Grand Terre. [[Sedimentation]] from [[mining]], [[agriculture]], and [[grazing]] has affected reefs near river mouths, which has been worsened by the destruction of [[mangrove]] forests, which help to retain sediment. Some reefs have been buried under several meters of silt.
In January 2002, the [[France|French]] government proposed listing New Caledonia's reefs as a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]]. UNESCO listed New Caledonia Barrier Reef on the World Heritage List under the name ''The Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems'' on 7 July 2008.
==External links==
*[http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/ecoregions/newcaledonia_barrier_reef.cfm New Caledonia Barrier Reef (World Wildlife Fund)]
*[http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/g200/g221.html New Caledonia Barrier Reef (National Geographic)]
*[http://www.univ-perp.fr/ephe/acorweb/anglais/caledonie.html New Caledonia reefs (French Coral Reef Society)]
*[http://www.minesandcommunities.org/Country/kanaky1.htm Biodiversity and Nickel Mining in Kanaky/New Caledonia (Mines and Communities Website)]
{{World Heritage Sites in France}}
[[Category:Landforms of New Caledonia]]
[[Category:Marine ecoregions]]
[[Category:Global 200 ecoregions]]
[[Category:Coral reefs]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in France]]
{{NewCaledonia-geo-stub}}
[[de:Neukaledonisches Barriereriff]]
[[fr:Lagons de Nouvelle-Calédonie]]
[[ja:ニューカレドニア・バリア・リーフ]]
[[sv:Nya Kaledoniens barriärrev]]