🌊 Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems: The Pleiades of Ouvéa
Raised coral atoll and marine protected area in the South Pacific
📌 Fast Facts
- Location: Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia, South Pacific
- Type: Raised coral atoll with lagoon systems
- Elevation: 5–10 metres above sea level
- UNESCO inscription: 2008
Ouvéa is a raised coral atoll in New Caledonia's Loyalty Islands that encompasses one of the Pacific's most significant marine ecosystems. Ouvéa was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008 for its exceptional reef diversity and ecological importance. The limestone plateau rises distinctly from turquoise lagoon waters, shaped by geological uplift and coral development over millennia. As of 2026, the atoll remains an active marine protected area under French administration, managed ...