ISimangaliso Wetland Park

iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Greater St. Lucia Wetlands
Location in South Africa
Location	KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Nearest city	Durban, South Africa
Coordinates	27°39′S 32°34′E / 27.650°S 32.567°E / -27.650; 32.567
Area	3,280 km2 (1,270 sq mi)
Established	1895
Governing body	iSimangaliso Authority
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Criteria	Natural: (vii), (ix), (x)
Reference	914
Inscription	1999 (23rd Session)
Area	239,566 ha (924.97 sq mi)
Website	http://www.isimangaliso.com/
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	St. Lucia System
Designated	2 October 1986
Reference no.	345[1]

The iSimangaliso Marine Protected Area, off the coast of the park

iSimangaliso Wetland Park (previously known as the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park) is situated on the east coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, about 235 km (146 mi) north of Durban by road. It is South Africa's third-largest protected area, spanning 280 km (170 mi) of coastline, from the Mozambican border in the north to Mapelane south of the Lake St. Lucia estuary, and made up of around 3,280 km² (810,000 acres) of natural ecosystems, managed by the iSimangaliso Authority. The park includes:

• Lake St. Lucia
• St. Lucia Game Reserve
• False Bay Park
• Kosi Bay
• Lake Eteza Nature Reserve
• Lake Sibhayi
• St. Lucia Marine Reserve
• St. Lucia Marine Sanctuary
• Sodwana Bay National Park
• Mapelane Nature Reserve
• Maputaland Marine Protected Area
• Cape Vidal
• Ozabeni
• Mfabeni
• Tewate Wilderness Area
• Mkuze Game Reserve

The park was previously known as the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park, but was renamed effective 1 November 2007. The word isimangaliso means "a miracle" or "something wondrous" in Zulu. The name came as a result of Shaka's subject having been sent to the land of the Tsonga. When he came back he described the beauty that he saw as a miracle.