World Heritage Identification Number: 260
World Heritage since: 1983
Category: Natural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Continent: Americas
UNESCO World Region: Latin America and the Caribbean
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Sangay National Park: A Biodiverse Haven in Ecuador
Sangay National Park, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, is a testament to the rich biodiversity and breathtaking landscapes found within Ecuador. Spanning across five provinces - Morona-Santiago, Chimborazo, Tungurahua, Cañar, and Azuay - this expansive protected area showcases an extraordinary array of ecosystems, from tropical rainforests to glacial peaks, creating a mesmerizing contrast that captivates visitors and researchers alike.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
With its outstanding natural beauty and two active volcanoes, the park illustrates the entire spectrum of ecosystems, ranging from tropical rainforests to glaciers, with striking contrasts between the snowcapped peaks and the forests of the plains. Its isolation has encouraged the survival of indigenous species such as the mountain tapir and the Andean condor.
Encyclopedia Record: Sangay National Park
Sangay National Park is a national park located in the Morona-Santiago, Chimborazo, Tungurahua, Cañar, and Azuay provinces of Ecuador. The park contains two active volcanoes, one extinct volcano El Altar. Protecting a range of elevations from 900 to 5,319 meters above sea level, Sangay National Park contains a wide variety of habitats, including glaciers, volcanic landscapes, tropical rainforests, cloud forests, wetlands, grasslands, and one of the largest regions of páramo in Ecuador. 327 lakes feed into a vast wetland system covering 31.5 square kilometers (12.2 sq mi).Additional Site Details
Area: 271,925 hectares
(viii) — Outstanding example representing major earth stages
(ix) — Outstanding example representing ecological and biological processes
(x) — Contains most important habitats for biodiversity
Coordinates: -1.83333 , -78.33333
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