The importance of World Heritage sites in Africa cannot be underestimated. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located. A UNESCO World Heritage listing ensures that the natural heritage of these sites are protected from greedy governments and commercial exploitation in perpetuity, thus ensuring enjoyment of these sites for future generations of locals and tourists alike. By Tourism Tattler Editor, Des Langkilde.
Compared to the global number of World Heritage Sites (1007 total), Africa has 89 (9%) with 48 Cultural, 37 Natural and 4 Mixed properties. Europe and North America have the highest at 479 (48%), followed by Asia and the Pacific at 231 (23%), Latin America and the Caribbean have 131 (13%), and the Arab States have 77 (8%).
Each World Heritage Site below is hyper-linked to the UNESCO website for more information on the specific site.
This list can also be viewed on page 15 of the July 2014 Tourism Tattler magazine at: http://issuu.com/tourismtattler/docs/tourism-tattler-july-2014/0
For a pictorial view of the list, visit our Pinterest Board.
Albania
Butrint
Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra
Algeria
Al Qal’a of Beni Hammad
Djémila
M’Zab Valley
Tassili n’Ajjer #
Timgad
Tipasa
Kasbah of Algiers
Belize
Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System
Benin
Royal Palaces of Abomey
Botswana
Tsodilo
Okavango Delta (Read more about this site at https://www.tourismtattler.com/?p=13886).
Burkina Faso
Ruins of Loropéni
Cabo Verde
Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande
Cameroon
Dja Faunal Reserve
Sangha Trinational*
Central African Republic
Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park
Sangha Trinational*
Chad
Lakes of Ounianga
Congo
Sangha Trinational*
Côte d’Ivoire
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve*
Taï National Park
Comoé National Park
Historic Town of Grand-Bassam
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Virunga National Park #
Kahuzi-Biega National Park
Garamba National Park
Salonga National Park
Okapi Wildlife Reserve
Egypt
Abu Mena
Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis
Historic Cairo
Memphis and its Necropolis
Nubian Monuments
Saint Catherine Area
Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley)
Ethiopia
Simien National Park
Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela
Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region
Aksum
Lower Valley of the Awash
Lower Valley of the Omo
Tiya
Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town
Konso Cultural Landscape
Gabon
Cultural Landscape of Lopé-Okanda
Gambia
Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites
Ghana
Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra
Guinea
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve*
Kenya
Lake Turkana National Parks
Lamu Old Town
Fort Jesus, Mombasa
Lake System in the Great Rift Valley
Lesotho
Maloti-Drakensberg Park*
Madagascar
Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve
Royal Hill of Ambohimanga
Rainforests of the Atsinanana
Malawi
Lake Malawi National Park
Chongoni Rock-Art Area
Mali
Timbuktu
Old Towns of Djenné
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons)
Tomb of Askia
Mauritania
Banc d’Arguin National Park
Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/750
Mauritius
Aapravasi Ghat
Le Morne Cultural Landscape
Morocco
Medina of Fez
Medina of Marrakesh
Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
Historic City of Meknes
Archaeological Site of Volubilis
Medina of Tétouan
Medina of Essaouira
Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida)
Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City
Mozambique
Island of Mozambique
Namibia
Twyfelfontein
Namib Sand Sea
Niger
Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves
W National Park of Niger
Historic Centre of Agadez
Nigeria
Sukur Cultural Landscape
Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove
Papua New Guinea
Kuk Early Agricultural Site
Senegal
Island of Gorée
Niokolo-Koba National Park
Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary
Island of Saint-Louis
Stone Circles of Senegambia*
Saloum Delta
Bassari, Fula & Bedik Cultural Landscapes
Seychelles
Aldabra Atoll
Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve
South Africa
Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa
iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Robben Island
Maloti-Drakensberg Park *
Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape
Cape Floral Region Protected Areas
Vredefort Dome
Richtersveld Cultural & Botanical Landscape
Sudan
Gebel Barkal & Sites of the Napatan Region
Archaeological Sites of Meroe Island
Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area 29
Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani & Songo Mnara
Serengeti National Park
Selous Game Reserve
Kilimanjaro National Park
Stone Town of Zanzibar
Kondoa Rock-Art Sites
Togo
Koutammakou – Land of the Batammariba
Tunisia
Amphitheatre of El Jem
Archaeological Site of Carthage
Medina of Tunis
Ichkeul National Park
Punic Town of Kerkuane & its Necropolis
Kairouan
Medina of Sousse
Dougga / Thugga
Uganda
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi
Zambia
Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls *#
Zimbabwe
Mana Pools, Sapi & Chewore Safari Areas
Great Zimbabwe National Monument
Khami Ruins National Monument
Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls *#
Matobo Hills
* Transboundary Property.
# Citeria numbering of this property has changed. See Decision 30.COM 8D.1
