Central Highlands of Sri Lanka


World Heritage Identification Number: 1203

World Heritage since: 2010

Category: Natural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

Continent: Asia

UNESCO World Region: Asia and the Pacific

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Central Highlands of Sri Lanka: A Biodiverse Haven

The Central Highlands of Sri Lanka, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010, is a testament to the rich biodiversity found within this South Asian island nation. Comprising three distinct protected areas – the Peak Wilderness Protected Area, the Horton Plains National Park, and the Knuckles Conservation Forest – this region serves as a sanctuary for an array of unique and endangered species.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Sri Lanka's highlands are situated in the south-central part of the island. The property comprises the Peak Wilderness Protected Area, the Horton Plains National Park and the Knuckles Conservation Forest. These montane forests, where the land rises to 2,500 metres above sea-level, are home to an extraordinary range of flora and fauna, including several endangered species such as the western-purple-faced langur, the Horton Plains slender loris and the Sri Lankan leopard. The region is considered a super biodiversity hotspot.

Encyclopedia Record: Central Highlands of Sri Lanka

Central Highlands of Sri Lanka is a recognised World Heritage Site in Sri Lanka. The site comprises the Peak Wilderness Protected Area, the Horton Plains National Park and the Knuckles Conservation Forest. These are rain forests and montane cloud forests where the elevation reaches 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) above sea level. The region harbors a variety of mammal species including the bear monkey, Trachypithecus vetulus monticola, and the critically endangered [possibly extinct] Horton Plains slender loris, Loris tardigradus nycticeboides,.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 56,844 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (ix) — Outstanding example representing ecological and biological processes
(x) — Contains most important habitats for biodiversity

Coordinates: 7.45245 , 80.8021

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Image of Central Highlands of Sri Lanka

© Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)

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Nearby World Heritage Sites

Sacred City of Kandy
25 km — Sri Lanka
Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple
48 km — Sri Lanka
Ancient City of Sigiriya
56 km — Sri Lanka
Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
56 km — Sri Lanka
Sacred City of Anuradhapura
108 km — Sri Lanka

Country Information: Sri Lanka

Flag of Sri Lanka

Official Name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

Continent: Asia

Population (2024): 21,916,000

Population (2023): 22,037,000

Population (2022): 22,181,000

Land Area: 61,860 sq km

Currency: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Central Highlands of Sri Lanka are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Central Highlands of Sri Lanka, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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