The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize. The Belize Barrier Reef is a 300 km (185 miles) section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. It totals 960 km² (370 miles²) in area, including the Great Blue Hole. Because of its exceptional natural beauty, significant on-going ecological and biological processes, and it contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity (criteria VII, IX, and X), the Reserve System has been designated as a World Heritage Site since 1996.
Great Blue Hole PostcardThe Great Blue Hole is a large underwater sinkhole that lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 60 miles from the mainland and Belize City. The hole is circular in shape, over 1,000 feet across and 400 feet deep. It was formed as a limestone cave system during the last ice age when sea levels were much lower. As the ocean began to rise again the caves flooded, and the roof collapsed.
SOURCES: Belize Barrier Reef Wikipedia Entry
Great Blue Hole Wikipedia Entry
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