Global Distribution of Coral Reefs - United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre
type: Dataset
description: This dataset shows the global distribution of coral reefs in tropical and subtropical regions. It is the most comprehensive global dataset of warm-water coral reefs to date, acting as a foundation baseline map for future, more detailed, work. This dataset was compiled from a number of sources by UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the WorldFish Centre, in collaboration with WRI (World Resources Institute) and TNC (The Nature Conservancy). Data sources include the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project (IMaRS-USF and IRD 2005, IMaRS-USF 2005) and the World Atlas of Coral Reefs (Spalding et al. 2001). Citation: UNEP-WCMC, WorldFish Centre, WRI, TNC (2018). Global distribution of warm-water coral reefs, compiled from multiple sources including the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project. Version 4.0. Includes contributions from IMaRS-USF and IRD (2005), IMaRS-USF (2005) and Spalding et al. (2001). Cambridge (UK): UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre. URL: http://data.unep-wcmc.org/datasets/1 Citations for the separate entities: IMaRS-USF (Institute for Marine Remote Sensing-University of South Florida) (2005). Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project. Unvalidated maps. These maps are unendorsed by IRD, but were further interpreted by UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Cambridge (UK): UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre IMaRS-USF, IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement) (2005). Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project. Validated maps. Cambridge (UK): UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre Spalding MD, Ravilious C, Green EP (2001). World Atlas of Coral Reefs. Berkeley (California, USA): The University of California Press. 436 pp.
language: en-GB
date created: 21-07-2021T03:07:03.0
date modified: 16-07-2025T22:07:50.0
publisher: Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
subject of: Coastal and Marine
keywords: coral
keywords: global
keywords: distribution
keywords: marine
keywords: geo
keywords: gis
keywords: data
keywords: biopama2
keywords: conservation
license: https://pacific-data.sprep.org/resource/public-data-license-agreement-0
spatial: POLYGON ((-172.11181640625 -85.754219509892, -172.11181640625 85.020707743126, 192.10693359375 85.020707743126, 192.10693359375 -85.754219509892))
spatial coverage: Worldwide
accountable person: Dr. Naomi Kingston
distribution: Global Distribution of Corals
  type: DataDownload
  description: This is a link to the website to download the UNEP-WCMC distribution of corals dataset. This dataset shows the global distribution of coral reefs in tropical and subtropical regions. It is the most comprehensive global dataset of warm-water coral reefs to date, acting as a foundation baseline map for future, more detailed, work. This dataset was compiled from a number of sources by UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the WorldFish Centre, in collaboration with WRI (World Resources Institute) and TNC (The Nature Conservancy). Data sources include the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project (IMaRS-USF and IRD 2005, IMaRS-USF 2005) and the World Atlas of Coral Reefs (Spalding et al. 2001). Citation: UNEP-WCMC, WorldFish Centre, WRI, TNC (2018). Global distribution of warm-water coral reefs, compiled from multiple sources including the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project. Version 4.0. Includes contributions from IMaRS-USF and IRD (2005), IMaRS-USF (2005) and Spalding et al. (2001). Cambridge (UK): UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre. URL: http://data.unep-wcmc.org/datasets/1 Citations for the separate entities: IMaRS-USF (Institute for Marine Remote Sensing-University of South Florida) (2005). Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project. Unvalidated maps. These maps are unendorsed by IRD, but were further interpreted by UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Cambridge (UK): UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre IMaRS-USF, IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement) (2005). Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project. Validated maps. Cambridge (UK): UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre Spalding MD, Ravilious C, Green EP (2001). World Atlas of Coral Reefs. Berkeley (California, USA): The University of California Press. 436 pp.