Australian scientists have found a detached coral reef on the Great Barrier Reef that exceeds the height of the Empire State Building and the Eiffel Tower.

Try this PYQ:

Q.Consider the following statements:

1. Most of the world’s coral reefs are in tropical waters.
2. More than one-third of the world’s coral reefs are located in the territories of Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
3. Coral reefs host far more number of animal phyla than those hosted by tropical rainforests.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

About Great Barrier Reef

• The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands.
• It is stretched for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres.
• The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
• It was world heritage listed in 1981 by UNESCO as the most extensive and spectacular coral reef ecosystem on the planet.

Why it is significant?

• This is first such discovery in over 100 years.
• The “blade-like” reef is nearly 500 metres tall and 1.5 kilometres wide.
• It lies 40 metres below the ocean surface and about six kilometres from the edge of the Great Barrier Reef.

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