Coral_sea

For other uses, see Coral Sea (disambiguation).

A map of the Coral Sea Islands.

The Coral Sea is a marginal sea off the north-east coast of Australia with a namesake chain of islands (uninhabited), including the Willis, Coringa, and Tregosse Islets.

The Coral Sea Islands Territory is administered by the Territories section of the Department of Transport and Regional Services. Other interested organisations include the Royal Australian Navy as part of their Coastwatch responsibilities and the Bureau of Meteorology.

The Coral Sea Basin was formed between 58 million - 48 million years ago because the Queensland continental shelf was uplifted, forming the Great Dividing Range, and continental blocks subsided at the same time.Hopley, David; Smithers, Scott G.; Parnell, Kevin E. (2007). The geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef : development, diversity, and change. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, pp.19. ISBN 0521853028. 

The Coral Sea is ecologically an important source of coral for the Great Barrier Reef, both during its formation and after sea level lowering.Hopley, David; Smithers, Scott G.; Parnell, Kevin E. (2007). The geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef : development, diversity, and change. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, pp.27. ISBN 0521853028. 

History

Main article: Battle of the Coral Sea

The sea was the location for a major confrontation during World War II.

See also

A satellite image of the Louisiade Archipelago and the northern Coral Sea.

• USS Coral Sea (aircraft carrier)
• Coral Sea Islands

References

Coordinates: 16°56′03″S, 155°06′36″E

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