World Heritage Identification Number: 409
World Heritage since: 1987
Category: Natural Heritage
WHE Type: Protected Areas & National Parks
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇺🇸 United States of America
Continent: Americas
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Exploring the Dynamic Landscape of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, established in 1987, is a testament to the raw power and beauty of nature that lies within the heart of the Big Island of Hawaii. Encompassing two of the world's most active volcanoes – Kilauea and Mauna Loa – this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers a unique opportunity to witness the ever-changing landscape shaped by volcanic activity.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
This site contains two of the most active volcanoes in the world, Mauna Loa (4,170 m high) and Kilauea (1,250 m high), both of which tower over the Pacific Ocean. Volcanic eruptions have created a constantly changing landscape, and the lava flows reveal surprising geological formations. Rare birds and endemic species can be found there, as well as forests of giant ferns.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (viii): This property is a unique example of significant island building through ongoing volcanic processes. It represents the most recent activity in the continuing process of the geologic origin and change of the Hawaiian Archipelago. The park contains significant parts of two of the world's most active and best understood volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa. The volcano Mauna Loa, measured from the ocean floor, is the greatest volcanic mass on earth.
Encyclopedia Record: Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is a national park of the United States located in Hawaii on the island of Hawaii. The park encompasses two active volcanoes: Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world's largest shield volcano. The park provides scientists with insight into the development of the Hawaiian Islands and access for studies of volcanism. For visitors, the park offers dramatic volcanic landscapes, glimpses of rare flora and fauna, and a view into the traditional Hawaiian culture connected to these landscapes.Additional Site Details
Area: 87,940 hectares
Number of Components: 2
Coordinates: 19.40083333 , -155.1236111
IUCN World Heritage Outlook
The 2025 Conservation Outlook on Hawaii Volcanoes National Park reports the following assessment:
Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) · View assessment
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© Jos-uit-boston at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
