World Heritage Identification Number: 1377
World Heritage since: 2011
Category: Mixed Cultural Heritage and Natural Heritage
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇯🇴 Jordan
Continent: Asia
UNESCO World Region: Arab States
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Wadi Rum Protected Area: A Journey Through Time and Landscape
The Wadi Rum Protected Area, often referred to as the Valley of the Moon or Red Mountains, is a geographical marvel located in southern Jordan, bordering Saudi Arabia and approximately 60 kilometers east of the city of Aqaba. Covering an expansive area of 720 square kilometers, it is the largest wadi (valley) in Jordan. This protected area was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, acknowledging its unique blend of natural beauty and rich cultural history.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The 74,000-hectare property, inscribed as a mixed natural and cultural site, is situated in southern Jordan, near the border with Saudi Arabia. It features a varied desert landscape consisting of a range of narrow gorges, natural arches, towering cliffs, ramps, massive landslides and caverns. Petroglyphs, inscriptions and archaeological remains in the site testify to 12,000 years of human occupation and interaction with the natural environment. The combination of 25,000 rock carvings with 20,000 inscriptions trace the evolution of human thought and the early development of the alphabet. The site illustrates the evolution of pastoral, agricultural and urban activity in the region.
Encyclopedia Record: Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum (Arabic: وادي رم Wādī Ramm, also Wādī al-Ramm, known also as the Valley of the Moon or Red mountains, is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan, near the border with Saudi Arabia and about 60 km to the east of the city of Aqaba. With an area of 720 km2 it is the largest wadi in Jordan.Additional Site Details
Area: 74,179.7 hectares
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement
(vii) — Contains superlative natural phenomena or beauty
Coordinates: 29.6397222222 , 35.4338888889
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© Raya Sharbain, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
