World Heritage Identification Number: 1699
World Heritage since: 2023
Category: Natural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Arab States
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A Journey Through 'Uruq Bani Ma'arid: A Desert Haven in Southern Saudi Arabia
Nestled within the vast expanse of the Rub' al Khali, the largest continuous sand sea on Earth, lies 'Uruq Bani Ma'arid, a protected area that stands as a testament to the resilience of nature and human coexistence. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023, this remarkable region offers a unique blend of breathtaking landscapes, diverse ecosystems, and a rich cultural heritage.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The property encompasses the western part of the greatest expanse of windblown sand on Earth, known as Ar Rub' al-KhaIi, and conserves a portion of one of the Earth’s most spectacular desert landscapes. The varied topography of the property creates a wide range of ecosystems. The site is globally notable due to the reintroduction of iconic desert animals, including the Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx) and Arabian Sand Gazelle (Gazella marica). In the case of the oryx, this was after decades of extinction in the wild. The mobile dunes also provide an excellent and well-oxygenated habitat for sand-diving invertebrates and reptiles, while incised wadis in the limestone plateau harbor rare relict plants. The area has also been used for generations by pastoral, nomadic Bedu.
Encyclopedia Record: 'Uruq Bani Ma'arid
'Uruq Bani Ma'arid is a protected area in southern Saudi Arabia, located on the western edge of the Rub' al Khali, the largest sandy desert in the world. The protected area is divided into three sections; a core nature reserve; a zone where controlled grazing is permitted; and a hunting zone.Additional Site Details
Area: 1,276,500 hectares
(ix) — Outstanding example representing ecological and biological processes
Coordinates: 19.3638888889 , 45.5983333333
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© Nepenthes, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
