World Heritage Identification Number: 17
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 Omo: A Pivotal Site in Human Evolution Studies
The Lower Valley of the Omo, located in southern Ethiopia, stands as a significant testament to the rich history and evolution of humanity. This prehistoric site, nestled near the shores of Lake Turkana, has garnered international acclaim due to its numerous fossil discoveries, particularly those of Homo gracilis.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
A prehistoric site near Lake Turkana, the lower valley of the Omo is renowned the world over. The discovery of many fossils there, especially Homo gracilis, has been of fundamental importance in the study of human evolution.
Encyclopedia Record: Omo River
The Omo River in southern Ethiopia is the largest Ethiopian river outside the Nile Basin. Its course is entirely contained within the boundaries of Ethiopia, and it empties into Lake Turkana on the border with Kenya. The river is the principal stream of an endorheic drainage basin, the Turkana Basin.Additional Site Details
Area: Not available
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
Coordinates: 4.8 , 35.96666667
Image
© Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
