Belize Barrier Reef

The Belize Barrier reef in the Caribbean is the longest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere and the world's second largest reef system after Australia's Great Barrier Reef. It stretches from the Yucatán Peninsula to Belize ( formerly British Honduras) and the Bay Islands over to the east of the Honduran north coast.

A huge number of coral islands dot the 256 km of the reef and provide opportunities for all kinds of water sports, such as for fishermen, divers and snorkelers. The reef offers over 350 species of fish a home. Along the Belize Barrier Reef are many small islands, called cayes. The best known are Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker and Caye Blackadore. The abundance of fish is also used for commercial fishing.

Some of the islands and reef sites are protected as a national park or marine reserve. It involves the Bacalar Chico National Park and Laughing Bird Caye, the National Monuments Great Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye and the Reserves South wather Caye, Glover's Reef and Sapodilla Cayes. These areas are also on the UNESCO list of World Heritage since 1996. Also in Belize suffer the coral reefs under coral bleaching. In addition, mangroves have been cut down to a large extent. Thus, the barrier reef of Belize on the red list of endangered World Heritage by UNESCO.

With three out of four Caribbean atolls Belize has the largest density of such atolls in the entire Caribbean. Both gentle diving along the coast and sea wilder spots are possible between reefs, walls, caves and coral islands. The Great Blue Hole ( Great blue hole ) in the middle of Lighthouse Reef is located about 80 miles from Belize City. Originally it was a cave that collapsed in itself, as the country sank in the sea around 10,000 years ago. On the sea surface, a circle 330 feet in diameter is visible. The Blue Hole is open 124 meters deep and filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Made famous by Jacques Cousteau's TV movie, it is the most famous dive sites of Belize.