iSimangaliso Wetland Park – Maputo National Park


World Heritage Identification Number: 914

World Heritage since: 1999

Category: Natural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: Yes

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: Mozambique, South Africa

Continent: NA

UNESCO World Region: Africa

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Transboundary Conservation: iSimangaliso Wetland Park - Maputo National Park

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park - Maputo National Park (ISWP-MNP) is a unique transboundary protected area that straddles the border between South Africa and Mozambique. Established in 1999, this expansive conservation region encompasses a variety of ecosystems, including terrestrial, coastal, and marine environments, making it a haven for nearly 5,000 species.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park – Maputo National Park is a transboundary extension to South Africa’s iSimangaliso Wetland Park, inscribed in 1999. It includes terrestrial, coastal, and marine ecosystems, and is home to nearly 5,000 species. The site complements iSimangaliso’s conservation values, enhancing biodiversity protection across the Maputaland ecoregion. It features diverse habitats, including lakes, lagoons, mangroves, and coral reefs. The park lies within the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Hotspot, reflecting high endemism and ongoing natural processes, and underscores long-standing regional conservation cooperation.

Encyclopedia Record: Maputo National Park

Maputo National Park is a national park in Mozambique, located on Maputo Bay, approximately 100 kilometers southeast of the city of Maputo. With an area of 1,718 km2, it is part of Matutuíne District of the Maputo Province, and also of the Inhaca Island of the city of Maputo.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 397,471 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (vii) — Contains superlative natural phenomena or beauty
(ix) — Outstanding example representing ecological and biological processes
(x) — Contains most important habitats for biodiversity

Coordinates: -27.8388888889 , 32.55

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Image of iSimangaliso Wetland Park – Maputo National Park

© Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)

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Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page iSimangaliso Wetland Park – Maputo National Park are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Maputo National Park, 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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