World Heritage Identification Number: 1265
World Heritage since: 2007
Category: Cultural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇿🇦 South Africa
Continent: Africa
UNESCO World Region: Africa
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Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape: A Unique Blend of Culture and Biodiversity
The Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape, located in the north-western corner of South Africa's Northern Cape province, presents a unique blend of culture and biodiversity that has earned it a place on UNESCO's World Heritage List. This 160,000 hectare region, characterized by rugged kloofs, high mountains, and diverse landscapes, serves as a cultural landscape communally owned and managed by the indigenous Nama people.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The 160,000 ha Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape of dramatic mountainous desert in north-western South Africa constitutes a cultural landscape communally owned and managed. This site sustains the semi-nomadic pastoral livelihood of the Nama people, reflecting seasonal patterns that may have persisted for as much as two millennia in southern Africa. It is the only area where the Nama still construct portable rush-mat houses (haru om ) and includes seasonal migrations and grazing grounds, together with stock posts. The pastoralists collect medicinal and other plants and have a strong oral tradition associated with different places and attributes of the landscape.
Encyclopedia Record: Richtersveld
The Richtersveld is a desert landscape characterised by rugged kloofs and high mountains, situated in the north-western corner of South Africa’s Northern Cape province. It is full of changing scenery from flat, sandy, coastal plains, to craggy sharp mountains of volcanic rock and the lushness of the Orange River, which forms the border with neighboring Namibia. The area ranges in altitude from sea level, to 1,377 m (4,518 ft) at Cornellberg. Located in the north-western side of the Northern Cape province in South Africa, the Richtersveld is regarded as the only arid biodiversity hotspot on earth and the majority of the area is inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List due to its cultural values.Additional Site Details
Area: 160,000 hectares
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement
Coordinates: -28.6 , 17.2038888888
Image
© Winfried Bruenken (Amrum), CC BY-SA 2.5 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
