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Great Barrier Reef

(Encyclopedia)Great Barrier Reef, largest complex of coral reef in the world, c.1,250 mi (2,000 km) long, in the Coral Sea, forming a natural breakwater for the coast of Queensland, NE Australia. Composed of more t...

Great Southern Reef

(Encyclopedia)Great Southern Reef, rocky reef complex, c. 27,000 sq mi (70,000 sq km), extending almost 5,000 mi (8,100 km) along S and SW Australia coast, from Brisbane to Perth. The reef's temperate marine ecosys...

reef

(Encyclopedia)reef: see coral reef.

Outer Barrier

(Encyclopedia)Outer Barrier, series of sandy barrier islands or offshore bars, extending c.75 mi (120 km) along the south shore of Long Island, SE N.Y., from Rockaway Beach at the west to the east end of Shinnecock...

Kingman Reef

(Encyclopedia)Kingman Reef, uninhabited reef, less than 1 sq mi (2.6 sq km), central Pacific, one of the Line Islands, 1,075 mi (1,730 km) SW of Honolulu. It was discovered by Americans in 1798 and annexed by the U...

sound barrier

(Encyclopedia)sound barrier: see aerodynamics. ...

Great South Bay

(Encyclopedia)Great South Bay, arm of the Atlantic Ocean, c.45 mi (72 km) long, between the southern shore of Long Island and offshore barrier islands, SE N.Y. With the rapid population growth along its shores, the...

coral reefs

(Encyclopedia)coral reefs, limestone formations produced by living organisms, found in shallow, tropical marine waters. In most reefs, the predominant organisms are stony corals, colonial cnidarians that secrete an...

Capitol Reef National Park

(Encyclopedia)Capitol Reef National Park: 241,904 acres (97,971 hectares), S Utah. The park features a dome-shaped white rock, said to resemble the U.S. Capitol, and a maze of deep canyons, arches, and monoliths cu...

Buck Island Reef National Monument

(Encyclopedia)Buck Island Reef National Monument: see National Parks and Monuments (table)national parks and monuments (table). ...