Gough and Inaccessible Islands


World Heritage Identification Number: 740

World Heritage since: 1995

Category: Natural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇬🇧 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Continent: Europe

UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America

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Gough and Inaccessible Islands: A Remote Treasure Trove of Biodiversity

The Gough and Inaccessible Islands, located in the remote south Atlantic, form a unique and largely undisturbed ecosystem that is home to some of the world's most remarkable wildlife and plant life. These islands, dependencies of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha, have been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1995.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The site, located in the south Atlantic, is one of the least-disrupted island and marine ecosystems in the cool temperate zone. The spectacular cliffs of Gough and Inaccessible Islands, towering above the ocean, are free of introduced mammals and home to one of the world’s largest colonies of sea birds. Gough Island is home to two endemic species of land birds, the gallinule and the Gough rowettie, as well as to 12 endemic species of plants, while Inaccessible Island boasts two birds, eight plants and at least 10 invertebrates endemic to the island.

Encyclopedia Record: Gough Island

Gough Island, also known historically as Gonçalo Álvares, is a rugged volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a dependency of Tristan da Cunha and part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. It is approximately 400 km (250 mi) south-east of the Tristan da Cunha archipelago, 2,400 km (1,500 mi) north-east from South Georgia Island, 2,700 km (1,700 mi) west from Cape Town, and over 3,200 km (2,000 mi) from the nearest point of South America.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 7,900 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (vii) — Contains superlative natural phenomena or beauty
(x) — Contains most important habitats for biodiversity

Coordinates: -40.32472222 , -9.928611111

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Image of Gough and Inaccessible Islands

© Photo: Steven Chown, CC BY 2.5 Resized from original.

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Country Information: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Flag of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Official Name: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Capital: London

Continent: Europe

Population (2024): 69,226,000

Population (2023): 68,492,000

Population (2022): 67,604,000

Land Area: 241,930 sq km

Currency: British pound (GBP)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Gough and Inaccessible Islands are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Gough Island, 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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