Hammar Marshes

East Hammar Marshes
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Part ofAhwar of Southern Iraq
CriteriaMixed: (iii)(v)(ix)(x)
Reference1481-003
Inscription2016 (40th Session)
Area20,342 ha (78.54 sq mi)
Buffer zone12,721 ha (49.12 sq mi)
Coordinates30°44′21″N 47°26′19″E / 30.73917°N 47.43861°E / 30.73917; 47.43861
Hammar Marshes is located in Iraq
Hammar Marshes
Location of Hammar Marshes in Iraq
West Hammar Marshes
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Part ofAhwar of Southern Iraq
CriteriaMixed: (iii)(v)(ix)(x)
Reference1481-004
Inscription2016 (40th Session)
Area79,991 ha (308.85 sq mi)
Buffer zone68,403 ha (264.11 sq mi)
Coordinates30°50′30″N 46°41′03″E / 30.84167°N 46.68417°E / 30.84167; 46.68417
Hammar Marshes is located in Iraq
Hammar Marshes
Location of Hammar Marshes in Iraq
Designations
Official nameHammar Marsh
Designated7 April 2014
Reference no.2242[1]
1994 Map of The Mesopotamian Marshes with draining features

The Hammar Marshes (Arabic: هور الحمار) are a large wetland complex in southeastern Iraq that are part of the Mesopotamian Marshes in the Tigris–Euphrates river system. Historically, the Hammar Marshes extended up to 4,500 km2 (1,700 sq mi) during seasonal floods.[1] They were destroyed during the 1990s by large-scale drainage, dam and dike construction projects. Since 2003, they are recovering following reflooding and destruction of dams.[2]

  1. ^ a b Al Shabeeb, S. (2015). Ramsar Information Sheet for Site no. 2242, Hammar Marsh, Iraq (PDF). Gland: Ramsar Sites Information Service.
  2. ^ Richardson, C.J.; Hussain, N.A. (2006). "Restoring the Garden of Eden: an ecological assessment of the marshes of Iraq". BioScience. 56 (6): 477–489. doi:10.1641/0006-3568(2006)56[477:RTGOEA]2.0.CO;2.