The coastal area of Belize is a complex system, consisting of the largest barrier reef in the Atlantic, three offshore atolls, patch reefs, seagrass beds, several hundred cays of sand and mangrove, extensive mangrove forests, coastal lagoons, and estuaries. The nation's coral reefs are unparalleled in the Caribbean, are essential to the survival of many commercial species of fish, and could prove a source of valuable pharmaceutical compounds.
Marine researchers continue to discover new species in the area.
Coastal wetlands help control floods and erosion, maintain water quality, and provide habitat for breeding fish and invertebrates. Coastal habitats harbor such endangered species as manatees, crocodiles, marine turtles, and many species of birds. Coastal areas are vital to the Belizean economy and becoming degraded by human activities. Expansion of agriculture is resulting in deforestation along river banks, increasing erosion, siltation, and runoff of agricultural chemicals, in the process impairing coastal water quality. Growing coastal populations are leading to increased development and dredging and clearning of more wetlands.