New Caledonian barrier reef

The reef systems of New Caledonia are considered to be the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, the longest continuous barrier reef in the world with a length of 1,600 km and its lagoon, the largest in the world with an area of 24,000 square kilometers. This ecosystem hosts along with Fiji, the world's most diverse concentration of reef structures, 146 types based on a global classification system, and they equal or even surpass the much larger Great Barrier Reef in coral and fish diversity. In addition, the reef is home to third-largest population of endangered dugongs (Dugong dugon) on Earth, and is an important nesting site for green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). and a thriving population of humpback whales. == Environmental threats ==

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 metres of silt. In 2008, an assessment of northwest near-shore reefs concluded that many would be dead within years, and at best decades, if present trends relating to mining sediment and silt run-off continued. In January 2002, the 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. == Human use ==

Scuba Diving is common, with several dive sites in the lagoon and around the reef. These include the Prony needle, the Shark Pit and the Cathedral. Païta 01.jpg|This part of the lagoon, near Dumbéa and Païta, in the North-West of Nouméa, is not included in the UNESCO world heritage sites. Lagoons of New Caledonia.jpg|ASTER image of the lagoons == See also ==