Great Barrier Reef

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1、GreatBarrierReefTheGreatBarrierReefistheworld'slargestcoralreefsystemcomposedofover2,900individualreefsand900islandsstretchingforover2,600kilometresoveranareaofapproximately344,400squarekilometers.ThereefislocatedintheCoralSea,offthecoastofQueenslandinnorth-eastAustralia.TheGreatBarrie

2、rReefcanbeseenfromouterspaceanditistheworld'sbiggestsinglestructuremadebylivingorganisms.Thisreefstructureiscomposedofandbuiltbybillionsoftinyorganisms,knownascoralpolyps.ItsupportsawidediversityoflifeandwasselectedasaWorldHeritageSitein1981.CNNlabeleditoneofthesevennaturalwondersofthe

3、world.TheQueenslandNationalTrustnameditastateiconofQueensland.TheGreatBarrierReefhaslongbeenknowntoandusedbytheAboriginalAustralianandTorresStraitIslanderpeoples,andisanimportantpartoflocalgroups'culturesandspirituality.Thereefisaverypopulardestinationfortourists,especiallyintheWhitsun

4、dayIslandsandCairnsregions.Tourismisanimportanteconomicactivityfortheregion,generating$1billionperyear.Duetoitsvastbiodiversity,warmclearwatersandaccessibilityfromthetouristboatscalled'liveaboards',thereefisaverypopulardestination,especiallyforscubadivers.TourismontheGreatBarrierReefis

5、concentratedintheWhitsundaysandCairnsduetotheiraccessibility.Theseareasmakeup7%ofthePark'sarea.TheWhitsundaysandCairnshavetheirownPlansofManagement.ManycitiesalongtheQueenslandcoastofferdailyboattrips.Severalcontinentalandcoralcayislandsarenowresorts,includingthepristineLadyElliotIslan

6、d.Asof1996,27islandsontheGreatBarrierReefsupportedresorts.Domestictourismmadeupmostofthetourismintheregionasof1996,andthemostpopularvisitingtimeswereintheAustralianwinter.ItwasestimatedthattouriststotheGreatBarrierReefcontributedA$776 millionperannumatthistime.Asthelargestcommercialact

7、ivityintheregion,itwasestimatedin2003thattourismintheGreatBarrierReefgeneratesoverA$4 billionannually.(A2005estimateputsthefigureatA$5.1 billion.)ApproximatelytwomillionpeoplevisittheGreatBarrierReefeachyear.Althoughmostofthesevisitsaremanagedinpartnershipwiththemarinetourismindustry