Tubbataha Reef, Sulu Sea, Philippines
2 February 2006

Note: The area of coverage in this SPOT-5 image is approximately 10 km x 10 km.
The reduced resolution image on display has undergone compression and so does not represent the true resolution of the original satellite image.

This bird-shaped 1-2 km wide coral reef with perpendicular outer reef walls is part of a National Marine Park of the Philippines. In 1994, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is a nesting place for birds and marine turtles. Narrow beaches emerge above water round the reef platform, except on its western side. A small island can be seen towards the south just inside the reef with a lighthouse on it. The changing colour of the reef indicates the varying depths at which the coral occurs. The highest part of the reef occurs immediately behind the beach. The reef drops slowly towards the centre of this elongated atoll but precipitously off its outer edge. Mangroves occur in the atoll round the inner edge of the reef and a sandy lagoon occupies its centre.