World Heritage Identification Number: 10
World Heritage since: 1980
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Continent: Africa
UNESCO World Region: Africa
Map
The Lower Valley of the Awash: A Palaeontological Treasure Trove
The Lower Valley of the Awash, located in the Afar Region of Ethiopia, is a significant geographical feature and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This region, encompassing approximately 10% of Ethiopia's total area, is primarily drained by the Awash River, an endorheic watercourse that flows entirely within Ethiopian borders before emptying into a series of interconnected lakes bordering Djibouti.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The Awash valley contains one of the most important groupings of palaeontological sites on the African continent. The remains found at the site, the oldest of which date back at least 4 million years, provide evidence of human evolution which has modified our conception of the history of humankind. The most spectacular discovery came in 1974, when 52 fragments of a skeleton enabled the famous Lucy to be reconstructed.
Encyclopedia Record: Awash River
The Awash River is a major river of Ethiopia. Its course is entirely contained within the boundaries of Ethiopia and empties into a chain of interconnected lakes that begins with Lake Gargori and ends with Lake Abbe on the border with Djibouti, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the head of the Gulf of Tadjoura. The Awash River is the principal stream of an endorheic drainage basin covering parts of the Amhara, Oromia and Somali Regions, as well as the southern half of the Afar Region. The Awash River basin, spanning 23 administrative zones, covers 10% of Ethiopia's area.Additional Site Details
Area: Not available
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 11.10006 , 40.57939
