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List of World Heritage Sites in Côte d'Ivoire

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Location of World Heritage Sites in Côte d'Ivoire. Blue dots indicate the Sudanese style mosques.

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.[1] 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.[2] Côte d'Ivoire accepted the convention on 9 January 1981, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list.[3]

There are five World Heritage Sites in Côte d'Ivoire, and a further two on the tentative list.[3] The first site listed was Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve in 1982, as an extension of a site that was listed in Guinea the year prior.[4] The most recent listing were the Sudanese style mosques in northern Côte d’Ivoire, in 2021. Two sites are listed for their cultural and three for their natural significance.[3] Mount Nimba was listed as endangered in 1992 because of planned ore mining in the park area and the arrival of large numbers of refugees on the Guinean side.[5] Comoé National Park was listed as endangered in 2003 because of the impact of civil unrest on the property, including lack of management and drop in large mammal populations due to poaching.[6] As the situation improved, the site was removed from the endangered list in 2017.[7]

World Heritage Sites

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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.[8]

  † In danger
World Heritage Sites
Site Image Location (district) Year listed UNESCO data Description
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve† Mountain scenery in tropical setting Montagnes 1982 155bis; ix, x (natural) The Nimba Range, with the highest peak at 1,752 m (5,748 ft), rises high above the surrounding savanna. It is a sky island with a variety of local microclimates, supporting rich endemic flora and fauna. It is home to threatened species such as the Nimba otter shrew, viviparous toads Nimbaphrynoides, and a community of chimpanzees that use stone tools. The site is shared with Guinea, where it was initially independently listed in 1981. The Ivorian part was added in 1982. In 1992, the site was listed as endangered because of planned ore mining in the park area and the arrival of large numbers of refugees on the Guinean side.[5][9]
Taï National Park Tropical trees in a fog Bas-Sassandra 1982 195bis; ix, x (natural) The park contains the last remnants of primary tropical rainforests that once stretched West Africa. The vegetation is predominantly dense evergreen ombrophilous forest. It is rich in biodiversity, with over 150 endemic plant species. It is home to 11 species of monkeys, as well as the giant pangolin, African elephant, pygmy hippopotamus, and several duiker species, including the Jentink's duiker. A minor boundary modification took place in 2023.[10][11]
Comoé National Park River, grasses, and shrubs Zanzan, Savanes 1983 227bis; ix, x (natural) The park spreads along the Komoé River which supports growth of vegetation, such as the pristine tropical rainforest, that is usually found much more south. The habitats also include savannas, gallery forests, and riparian grasslands. Rich in biodiversity, the park is home to the African wild dog, chimpanzee, African elephant, and 500 bird species. From 2003 and 2017, the site was listed as endangered because of the impact of civil unrest on the property, including lack of management and drop in large mammal populations due to poaching. A minor boundary modification took place in 2023.[6][7][12]
Historic Town of Grand-Bassam Historical building in colonial style, palms nearby Comoé 2012 1322rev; iii, iv (cultural) Grand-Bassam was constructed by the French as their first colonial capital in the country in the 1880s. Until the 1950s, it served as the most important port and trading hub, and attracted people from Africa, Europe, and Middle East. The architecture reflects the interactions of colonial influences adjusted to local tropical climate. The city also includes a Nzema fishing village which indicate continuity with local traditions.[13]
Sudanese style mosques in northern Côte d’Ivoire A mosque with a minaret in Sudano-Sahelian style, an old car and people in front several sites 2021 1648; iii, iv (cultural) The site comprises eight mosques built mainly between the 17th and 19th centuries in the Sudano-Sahelian style. This architectural style developed in Djenné under the Mali Empire between the 12th and 14th centuries, spread with Islamic merchants and scholars especially after the end of the 16th century, and got adapted to a more humid climate of West Africa. The mosques are mudbrick buildings with projecting wooden frameworks. The mosque in Kong is pictured.[14]

Tentative list

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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.[15] Côte d'Ivoire maintains two properties on its tentative list.[3]

Tentative sites
Site Image Location (district) Year listed UNESCO criteria Description
Îles Ehotilé National Park Palm trees and sandy beach Comoé 2006 (natural) The park comprises six islands that separate the Aby Lagoon from the Atlantic Ocean. The vegetation mainly consists of mangroves on the coasts and forest inland. The islands support diverse fauna, with 128 species of birds, as well as the straw-coloured fruit bats and manatees. There are several villages on the islands, the main activity of people is fishing.[16]
Ahouakro Archaeological Park Rock formations among trees Lagunes 2006 iii, v, vii (mixed) The park, located at the boundary of forest and savanna biomes, features numerous magmatic megaliths of Paleoproterozoic age. These rock formations have been personified with human characters by the local people, some of the formations also have religious significance. There are rock art and tool workshops from the Neolithic period in the park.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "The World Heritage Convention". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  2. ^ "Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d "Côte d'Ivoire". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Decision 6 COM VIII.21 Nominations the World Heritage List (extension)". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 26 September 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Justification for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger, 1992: Report of the 16th Session of the Committee". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Justification for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger, 2003: Report of the 27th Session of the Committee". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 2 August 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  7. ^ a b "41COM 8C.3 - Update of the List of World Heritage in Danger (Removed Properties)" (PDF). UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  8. ^ "UNESCO World Heritage Centre – The Criteria for Selection". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 12 June 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 27 October 2005. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Taï National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Taï National Park, Advisory Body Evaluation (IUCN)". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 20 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Comoé National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Historic Town of Grand-Bassam". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Sudanese style mosques in northern Côte d'Ivoire". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  15. ^ "Tentative Lists". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 24 September 2005. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
  16. ^ "Îles Ehotilé National Park" (in French). UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  17. ^ "Ahouakro Archaeological Park" (in French). UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 16 April 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
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