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Orange Cup Coral
Photograph by Paul A. Sutherland
Orange cup coral clusters on a pier piling on Bonaire Island in the West Indies. About 80 percent of all life on Earth is found in the oceans, which cover 71 percent of the planet's surface.
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Large Gorgonian Coral/Sea Fan
Photograph by Timothy G. Laman
A large rust-colored gorgonian sea fan perches against a reef in Micronesia. Small, individual coral polyps fuse together over time to create these impressive fan-shaped colonies, which can grow several feet high.
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Coral Surface
Photograph by Timothy G. Laman
Shelves of coral surround the Pacific island of Palau. Corals, small organisms related to anemones, secrete calcium carbonate which hardens into an exoskeleton and over time forms reefs.
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Striped Grunt
Photograph by Heather Perry
A school of striped grunt fish glides over a coral reef in the British Virgin Islands. Coral reefs are rocklike structures built by layers of coral organisms, called polyps. They support about 25 percent of all marine life.
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Saddled Butterflyfish
Photograph by Timothy G. Laman
A saddled butterfly fish feeds on gorgonian coral off the coast of Palau, an island republic located about 500 miles (800 kilometers) east of the Philippines. Coral reefs are found only in warm waters between 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south latitudes.
Ocean Topics
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Acidification
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Ballard, Robert
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Bowermaster, Jon
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Cook-Wise
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De Rothschild, David
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Doubilet, David
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Earle, Sylvia
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Frozen Seafood Benefits
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Goodman, Beverly
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Habitat Destruction
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Invasive Species
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Kristof, Emory
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Marine Food Chain
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Marine Pollution
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Nicklen, Paul
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Norman, Brad
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Ocean Overview
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Overfishing
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Plastiki
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Pristine Seas Expeditions
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Sala, Enric
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Seafood Decision Guide
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Seafood Substitutions
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Sea Level Rise
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Sea Temperature Rise
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Seaver, Barton
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Sustainable Seafood
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Thys, Tierney
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Tips to Save the Ocean
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Your Ocean
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For Kids
Learn about the ocean with activities, photos, and games.
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Ocean Education
Bring engaging and important ocean learning to your classroom.
From the Channel
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"Rebuilding Titanic"
Meet the Ship's Masterminds and More
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Birth of Titanic
Explore her historic construction in this beautiful interactive.
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Titanic: The Final Secret
Join legendary explorer, Dr. Robert Ballard, as he reveals the details behind this story of stealth, subs and superpowers.
Support the Ocean
Help protect the last healthy, undisturbed places in the ocean so we can learn how to help healthy reefs thrive, help unhealthy reefs recover, and better preserve the ocean.
Explore the Ocean
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Ocean Life
Order ocean books, DVDs, maps, and more from the National Geographic online store.
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Ocean Special Issue
Explore the world's oceans, from their prehistoric beginnings to modern-day efforts to preserve their natural wonder.
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Ocean: An Illustrated Atlas" class="">
Ocean: An Illustrated Atlas">Ocean: An Illustrated Atlas
Immerse yourself in the wonders of the deep through colorful maps, photos, and satellite images.
Engage, Conserve, Restore
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Freshwater Initiative
The National Geographic Society’s freshwater initiative is a multi-year global effort to inspire and empower individuals and communities to conserve freshwater and preserve the extraordinary diversity of life that rivers, lakes, and wetlands sustain.