List of World Heritage Sites in Zimbabwe

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation, or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage. Zimbabwe accepted the convention on 16 August 1982. There are five World Heritage Sites in Zimbabwe, with a further two on the tentative list.

The first site in Zimbabwe to be inscribed to the list was the Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas, in 1984. The most recent site listed was the Matobo Hills, in 2003. Three sites in Zimbabwe are listed for their cultural and two for their natural properties. Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls is a transnational site, being shared with Zambia. Zimbabwe has served on the World Heritage Committee twice.

World Heritage Sites

UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural.

Tentative list

In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. Zimbabwe maintains two properties on its tentative list.

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