These Lagoons are of exceptional natural beauty. The New Caledonia Barrier Reef is located in New Caledonia in the South Pacific. It’s the third largest coral reef structure in the world.

The Lagoons of New Caledonia are a group of six lagoons that contain coral reef ecosystems. Its flora and fauna are one-of-a-kind in the world, with more than 1,000 species of fish and 6,500 species of marine invertebrates.

The reef encloses a lagoon of 24,000 square kilometers (9,300 sq mi), which has an average depth of 25 meters (82 ft).

The lagoons features an exceptional diversity of coral and fish species and a continuum of habitats from mangroves to sea grasses. About 5,000 pairs of Roseate Tern ( Sterna dougalli ) have been found.

The reef complex is globally unique in that it is “free-standing” in the ocean and encircles the island of New Caledonia.

The Lagoons of New Caledonia were recorded on the prestigious list of sites that are declared a World Heritage by UNESCO, which is a first for an overseas territory of France.