The
(UNESCO)
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
s are places of importance to
cultural
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.T ...
or
natural heritage
Natural heritage refers to the sum total of the elements of biodiversity, including flora and fauna, ecosystems and geological structures. It forms part of our natural resources.
Definition
Heritage is that which is ''inherited'' from past gener ...
as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972.
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
accepted the convention on 10 July 1997, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list. As of 2021, there are ten World Heritage Sites in South Africa, including four cultural sites, four natural sites and one mixed site.
World Heritage Sites
:Name; named after the World Heritage Committee's official designation
:Location; at city, regional, or provincial level and geocoordinates
:UNESCO data; the site's reference number; the year the site was inscribed on the World Heritage List; the criteria it was listed under. Criteria ''i'' through ''vi'' are cultural, while ''vii'' through ''x'' are natural (the column sorts by year added to the list)
:Period; time period of significance
:Description; brief information about the site, including reasons for qualifying as an endangered site, if applicable
Tentative list
In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list.
As of 2018, South Africa lists five properties on its tentative list:
#
Succulent Karoo Protected Areas
#Liberation Heritage Route
#
Early Farmsteads of the Cape Winelands
#The Emergence of Modern Humans: The Pleistocene occupation sites of South Africa
#Human Rights, Liberation Struggle and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites
See also
*
List of World Heritage Sites in Africa
*
List of heritage sites in South Africa
This is a list of national and provincial heritage sites in South Africa, as declared by the South African Heritage Resource Agency (SAHRA) and the nine provincial heritage resources authorities. The list is maintained by SAHRA by means of an onli ...
References
External links
unesco.orgSouth African Heritage Resources Agency
{{DEFAULTSORT:World Heritage Sites in South Africa
List
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
South Africa geography-related lists
Lists of tourist attractions in South Africa