UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Vanuatu
Vanuatu has 1 site on the UNESCO World Heritage List (1 cultural), the first inscribed in 2008 (Chief Roi Mata’s Domain). The map below plots it alongside the rest of the List, and each site is written up in full further down the page.
- World Heritage Sites
- 1
- Cultural
- 1
- Natural and Mixed
- 0
- First Inscribed
- 2008
Map of World Heritage Sites in Vanuatu
CulturalNaturalMixedIn DangerLarge dots are in Vanuatu. Click a dot to read about the site.
Chief Roi Mata’s Domain
Vanuatu · 17.6936° S, 168.2340° E · 9 km² · 10 km from Port Vila
Chief Roi Mata’s Domain is the first site to be inscribed in Vanuatu. It consists of three early 17th century AD sites on the islands of Efate, Lelepa and Artok associated with the life and death of the last paramount chief, or Roi Mata, of what is now Central Vanuatu. The property includes Roi Mata’s residence, the site of his death and Roi Mata’s mass burial site. It is closely associated with the oral traditions surrounding the chief and the moral values he espoused. The site reflects the convergence between oral tradition and archaeology and bears witness to the persistence of Roi Mata’s social reforms and conflict resolution, still relevant to the people of the region.
Description from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).
Why Chief Roi Mata’s Domain Is Listed
- (iii)
- A unique testimony to a cultural tradition or civilisation.
- (v)
- An outstanding example of traditional human settlement or land use.
- (vi)
- A direct association with events, ideas or beliefs of universal significance.
World Heritage in Vanuatu: Quick Answers
- How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in Vanuatu?
- Vanuatu has 1 World Heritage Site: 1 cultural.
- What was the first World Heritage Site in Vanuatu?
- Chief Roi Mata’s Domain, inscribed in 2008.
- Are any World Heritage Sites in Vanuatu in danger?
- None of the World Heritage Sites in Vanuatu is on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger.