History & Heritage
3.29.2022
United Arab Emirates: Wadi Wurayah on the Unesco World Heritage List
In the United Arab Emirates, the Wadi Wurayah National Park in Fujairah has been added to the tentative list of Unesco World Heritage Sites. Located in the middle of the Hajar Mountains, the park is famous for its abundance of streams and natural pools but especially for its unique biodiversity.
As the only permanent fresh waterfall in the United Arab Emirates, the reserve is also home to a large population of endangered plants and animals. In total, 860 different species thrive there, such as the caracal, the Blanford fox or the Helleborine orchid.
The Helleborine orchid grows only in the United Arab Emirates.
A natural treasure that is important
The national park, covering more than 220 km², is a key element of the country’s environmental protection program. Moreover, it has already been recognized within the framework of the Man and Biosphere program of UNESCO. The site’s inclusion in UNESCO is a testament to the country’s efforts to preserve its unique biodiversity.
After being submitted to Unesco’s World Heritage Centre, Wadi Wurayah Park became the thirteenth UAE site to be provisionally included on the organization’s tentative list. It will then have to receive a positive evaluation according to the criteria of the Outstanding Universal Value, to be definitively included, alongside the cultural sites of Al Ain in Abu Dhabi.
popular
