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• Reefs fringe many continental and island coastlines. During storms and hurricanes they buffer the coastline and prevent massive erosion by waves.
• Reefs sand has formed most of the world’s valuable tourist beaches, from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean and across the Pacific.
• Countless islands, and several entire nations are formed entirely by coral reefs, with coral islands reaching only 2-3m above sea level - e.g. Maldives (map), Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Tokelau. These are entirely dependent on living reef structures for their continued existence.
• UNEP-WCMC has developed the most extensive map of coral reefs in existence, enabling an assessment of their distribution and importance in many areas.