The Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park is located at the mouth of the Sigatoka River on the island of

Viti Levu Viti Levu (pronounced ; ) is the largest island in Fiji. It is the site of the country's capital and largest city, Suva, and home to a large majority of Fiji's population. Geology Fiji lies in a plate tectonics, tectonically complex area betwe ...

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

. They are located approximately 3 km west of the town of

Sigatoka Sigatoka (, ) is a town in Fiji. It is on the island of Viti Levu at the mouth of the Sigatoka River, for which it is named, some 61 kilometres from Nadi. Its population at the 2017 census was 17,622. It is the principal urban centre for the pro ...

. The dunes are the product of erosion in the coastal hinterland and coastal dune forming processes. The extensive dune system covers an area of 650 hectares and comprises a series of parabolic sand dunes. The dunes range from 2060 m tall. The dunes have been forming over thousands of years. Archaeological excavations have uncovered pottery more than 2,600 years old, as well as one of the largest burial sites in the Pacific. Evidence of the past is clearly visible throughout the dune system as pottery shards, stone tools, human remains and other archaeological relics continue to be uncovered by natural processes. The sand dune ecosystem contributes to its national significance as outlined in Fiji's Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.

National Park status

The dunes were designated Fiji's first National Park in July 1989 and consequently came under the management of the National Trust of Fiji. The dunes are now an important educational and recreational point for locals and tourists. Apart from being a key tourist destination, the dunes are an important source of archaeological artifacts and information for local and foreign universities and archaeological institutes.

World Heritage Status

This site was added to the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

Tentative List on 26 October 1999 in the Cultural category.

References

External links

UNESCO World Heritage Centre – tentative list
Parks in Fiji Landforms of Fiji Dunes of Oceania Preliminary Register of Sites of National Significance in Fiji World Heritage Tentative List Nadroga-Navosa Province {{fiji-geo-stub