The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated 127 World Heritage Sites in Africa. These sites are located in 37 countries (also called “state parties”); Ethiopia is home to the most with nine sites, and twelve countries have only a single site each. Three sites are shared between two countries: the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea), the Stone Circles of Senegambia (The Gambia andSenegal) and the Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls (Zambia and Zimbabwe). The first sites from the continent were inscribed in 1978, when the Island of Gorée of Senegal and the Rock-Hewn Churches of Ethiopia were chosen during the list’s conception.
Sites
Aapravasi Ghat
The Immigration Depot (Hindi: Aapravasi Ghat) is a building complex located in Port Louis, on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, which was the first Britishcolony to receive indentured, or contracted, labor workforce from India. From 1849 to 1923, half a million Indian indentured labourers passed through the Immigration Depot, to be eventually transported to plantations throughout the British Empire. The large-scale migration of the laborers left an indelible mark on the societies of many former British colonies, with Indians constituting a substantial proportion of their national populations. In Mauritius alone, 68 percent of the current total population has Indian forebears. The Immigration Depot has thus become an important reference point in the history and cultural identity of Mauritius.
Abu Mena
The ruins of the former Christian holy city contain a church, a baptistery, basilicas, public buildings, streets, monasteries, houses, and workshops, and were built over the tomb ofMenas of Alexandria. The World Heritage Committee designated Abu Mena as an endangered site in 2001, due to cave-ins in the area caused by the clay at the surface, which becomes semi-liquid when met with “excess water”.
Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves
Africa’s largest protected area, located in the Saharan desert of Ténéré, consists of the volcanic rock mass of Aïr and a small isolated Sahelian pocket with unique flora and fauna. The natural reserve was placed on UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger in 1992, due to the increase in military conflicts and the hostage-taking of six reserve staff in February. Removal from this list was considered in 1999, but as of 2011, its position remains unchanged.
Aksum
The ruins of the city of Aksum, dating from the 1st to the 13th century, mark the heart of ancient Ethiopia and what was the “most powerful state between the Eastern Roman Empire and Persia”. It includes monolithic obelisks, giant stelae, royal tombs, and ruins of former castles.
Al Qal’a of Beni Hammad
The fortified first capital of the Hammadid emirs was originally built in 1007 and demolished in 1152. It features an 8-bay, 13-aisle mosque, which is one of the largest in Algeria.
Aldabra Atoll
The Aldabra Atoll consists of four large coral islands and a lagoon, surrounded by a coral reef. The islands are home to the world’s largest population of giant tortoises.
