The Coral Triangle is a triangular area in the western Pacific Ocean encompassing the marine waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste. Designated as a Hope Spot by Mission Blue, it is one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth, containing 30% of the world’s coral reefs and the greatest extent of mangrove forests in the world. As such, it has been identified as a high priority area for conservation by multiple governments and non-governmental conservation organizations. In 2007 a partnership of the six above-mentioned countries, known as the Coral Triangle Initiative, was created to conserve the Coral Triangle’s valuable marine resources and biodiversity. Part of the Coral Triangle Initiative’s purpose is to protect 20% of all coastal and marine habitats in the Coral Triangle within marine protected areas by 2020. This program receives support from WWF, Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, the Global Environment Facility, the Asia Development Bank, and both the US and Australian Agencies for International Development.
