Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island

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Biodiverse Islands of the Ryukyu Arc: A UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Ryukyu Arc, a chain of islands situated in the southwest of Japan, is home to a unique and diverse ecosystem that spans across four islands: Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, the northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island. This collection of islands, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021, encompasses 42,698 hectares of subtropical rainforests and boasts an exceptional biodiversity value.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Encompassing 42,698 hectares of subtropical rainforests on four islands on a chain located in the southwest of Japan, the serial site forms an arc on the boundary of the East China Sea and Philippine Sea whose highest point, Mount Yuwandake on Amami-Oshima Island, rises 694 metres above sea level. Entirely uninhabited by humans, the site has high biodiversity value with a very high percentage of endemic species, many of them globally threatened. The site is home to endemic plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, inland water fish and decapod crustaceans, including, for example, the endangered Amami Rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) and the endangered Ryukyu Long-haired Rat (Diplothrix legata) that represent ancient lineages and have no living relatives anywhere in the world. Five mammal species, three bird species, and three amphibian species in the property have been identified globally as Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species. There are also a number of different endemic species confined to each respective island that are not found elsewhere in the property. 

Encyclopedia Record: Amami-Ōshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island

Amami-Ōshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island (奄美大島、徳之島、沖縄島北部及び西表島) is a serial UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of five component parts on four Japanese islands in the Ryukyu Arc. The site was selected in terms of biodiversity for having a diverse ecosystem of plant and animal species that are unique to the region.

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