Belize Barrier Reef facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Belize Barrier Reef |
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The Barrier Reef is clearly visible along the eastern coast of Belize in the Caribbean Sea.
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 Belize Barrier Reef
Location in Belize
Belize Barrier Reef
Location in Caribbean
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| Location | Belize |
| Nearest city | Belize City, Belize |
| Official name: Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System | |
| Type: | Natural |
| Criteria: | vii, ix, x |
| Designated: | 1996 (20th session) |
| Reference #: | 764 |
| State Party: | Belize |
| Region: | Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Endangered: | 2009–2018 |
The Belize Barrier Reef is an amazing chain of coral reefs. It stretches along the coast of Belize, a country in Central America. The reef is about 300 meters (980 feet) from the shore in the north. In the south, it is about 40 kilometers (25 miles) away.
This reef is a 300-kilometer (190-mile) long part of the larger Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. That whole system is about 900 kilometers (560 miles) long! It starts near Cancún in Mexico and goes all the way down to Honduras. This makes it one of the biggest coral reef systems in the world. Only the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the New Caledonia Barrier Reef are larger.
The famous scientist Charles Darwin saw the reef in 1842. He called it "the most remarkable reef in the West Indies."
Amazing Sea Life
The Belize Barrier Reef is a busy home for many different plants and animals. It's like a giant underwater city! Scientists have found:
- 70 types of hard corals
- 36 types of soft corals (like sea fans)
- 500 different kinds of fish
- Hundreds of invertebrate species (animals without backbones)
Scientists think they have only discovered about 10% of all the species living here. This means about 90% of the reef still needs to be explored and studied! Imagine all the new creatures waiting to be found.
Images for kids
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Brain coral in the Great Blue Hole
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Green sea turtle with remora fish on its back
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A close-up view of the reef
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The barrier reef from above
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Snorkeling over the reef
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Fan corals of the reef
See also
In Spanish: Sistema de Reservas de la Barrera del Arrecife de Belice para niños
