UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Madagascar

UNESCO's Description

This serial property in western Madagascar comprises karstic landscapes and limestone uplands cut into impressive 'tsingy' peaks and a 'forest' of limestone needles, the spectacular canyon of the Manambolo river, rolling hills and high peaks. Undisturbed forests, lakes and mangrove swamps are the habitat for rare and endangered lemurs and birds. The component parts of the property cover almost the full range of ecological and evolutionary variation within the western forests of Madagascar, including western dry forests and southwestern spiny forest-thicket. These sites contain a spectacular array of endemic and threatened biodiversity, including baobabs, flame trees ( Delonix ), as well as unique evolutionary lineages such as the Mesitornithiformes, an order of birds which is 54 million years old.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

Tourism

Tourists can access the national park by road from Morondava, a town 150 km south of the park. Limited access is also possible from the town of Antsalova, which can be reached by plane from Antananarivo or Mahajanga.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q1405154 (CC0).

UNESCO's Description

The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga consists of a royal city and burial site, and an ensemble of sacred places. It is associated with strong feelings of national identity, and has maintained its spiritual and sacred character both in ritual practice and the popular imagination for the past 500 years. It remains a place of worship to which pilgrims come from Madagascar and elsewhere.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

History

Madagascar's central highlands, including the area around Ambohimanga, were first inhabited between 200 BCE–300 CE by the island's earliest settlers, the Vazimba, who appear to have arrived by pirogue from southeastern Borneo to establish simple villages in the island's dense forests. By the 15th century the Merina ethnic group from the southeastern coast had gradually migrated into the central highlands where they established hilltop villages interspersed among the existing Vazimba settlements, which were ruled by local kings. The tombs of at least four Vazimba are located on or around Ambohimanga hill and are sites of pilgrimage, including the tombs of Ingorikelisahiloza, Andriantsidonina, Ramomba and Kotosarotra.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q458167 (CC0).

UNESCO's Description

The Rainforests of the Atsinanana comprise six national parks distributed along the eastern part of the island. These relict forests are critically important for maintaining ongoing ecological processes necessary for the survival of Madagascar’s unique biodiversity, which reflects the island’s geological history. Having completed its separation from all other land masses more than 60 million years ago, Madagascar’s plant and animal life evolved in isolation. The rainforests are inscribed for their importance to both ecological and biological processes as well as their biodiversity and the threatened species they support. Many species are rare and threatened especially primates and lemurs.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q564321 (CC0).