The Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems site in France was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2008. The site features an exceptional diversity of coral and fish species and a continuum of habitats from mangroves to seagrasses, with one of the world's most diverse concentrations of reef structures. The lagoons also provide habitat to a number of emblematic or threatened marine species such as giant grouper, black-spotted stingray, several species of sharks, whales, dolphins, turtles, and the third largest population of dugongs in the world.

Today, over 40 World Heritage sites are listed for their marine values. Together, they can be considered the “Crown Jewels of our Ocean” and are recognized for their outstanding beauty, exceptional biodiversity, or unique ecological, biological, or geological processes. Learn more about this and other marine World Heritage sites.