Rainforests of the Atsinanana

Rainforests of the Atsinanana
UNESCO World Heritage Site
LocationMadagascar
CriteriaNatural: (ix), (x)
Reference1257
Inscription2007 (31st Session)
Endangered2010–...
Area479,660.7 ha (1,185,267 acres)
Coordinates14°27′35″S 49°42′9″E / 14.45972°S 49.70250°E / -14.45972; 49.70250
Rainforests of the Atsinanana is located in Madagascar
Rainforests of the Atsinanana
Location of Rainforests of the Atsinanana in Madagascar
Rainforests of the Atsinanana is located in Africa
Rainforests of the Atsinanana
Rainforests of the Atsinanana (Africa)
Rainforests of the Atsinanana is located in Indian Ocean
Rainforests of the Atsinanana
Rainforests of the Atsinanana (Indian Ocean)

The Rainforests of the Atsinanana is a World Heritage Site that was inscribed in 2007 and consists of 13 specific areas in six national parks in the eastern part of Madagascar:

  1. Marojejy National Park
  2. Masoala National Park
  3. Zahamena National Park
  4. Ranomafana National Park
  5. Andringitra National Park
  6. Andohahela National Park

The Rainforests of the Atsinanana are distributed along the eastern part of the island. These relict forests are critically important for maintaining ongoing ecological processes necessary for the survival of Madagascar’s unique biodiversity, which reflects the island’s geological history. Having completed its separation from all other land masses more than 60 million years ago, Madagascar’s plant and animal life evolved in isolation. The rainforests are inscribed for their importance to both ecological and biological processes as well as their biodiversity and the threatened species they support. Many species are rare and threatened especially lemurs and other primates.

Marojejy National Park