Belize Barrier Reef, coral reef that is the second largest in the world after Australia's Great Barrier Reef and the largest of its kind in the Northern and Western hemispheres. It stretches for more than 180 miles (290 kilometers) along Belize's Caribbean coast, with an offshore distance ranging from about 1,000 feet (300 meters) in the north to 25 miles (40 kilometers) in the south, except at Rocky Point, where it meets the shoreline. The contiguous Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve, Blue Hole Natural, Half Moon Caye Natural Monument, Glover's Reef Marine Reserve, South Water Caye Marine Reserve, Laughing Bird Caye National Park, and Sapodilla Marine Reserve protect the 370-square-mile (960-square-kilometer) area (1996).
The reef and its atolls contain nearly 450 mangrove cays and sandy islands of varying sizes, including the Western Hemisphere's only coral atolls. The area is home to several rare and endangered animal species, including the American crocodile and the world's largest population of West Indian manatees. Sea turtles, red-footed boobies, and other seabirds are also common, as are more than 500 species of fish, 65 species of stony corals (Scleractinia), and 350 varieties of mollusks. Above water, there are 178 plant species, and below water, there are 247 types of marine flora; algal varieties abound, as do turtle and manatee sea-grass beds.
The reef's tropical climate, with average temperatures ranging from 61 °F (16 °C) in winter to 88 °F (31 °C) in summer, and its extraordinary fauna have made it a popular tourist destination. Historically, its main draw was as a fishing and trading center; the Maya used it for this purpose from around 300 BCE to 900 CE, and in the 17th century, pirates of Scottish and English descent, who had first sought safety at the reef, exploited its resources as well. Even though it is threatened by the effects of water sports, sightseeing boats (whose anchors tear apart sections of the reef), and fishing, the reef has been kept largely accessible to watercraft due to its importance to the tourism and fishing industries. The reef is a major source of seafood, particularly lobster and conch, and a large portion of it is exported. Every year, between 100,000 and 150,000 tourists visit the area, congregating around snorkeling and diving hotspots like San Pedro, Caye Caulker, and Placencia. In 1996, the Belize Barrier Reef was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.
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