List of World Heritage Sites in South Africa

Sterkfontein

Makapan

Taung

Mapungubwe

Richtersveld

Robben Island

Cape Floral

iSimangaliso

Vredefort Dome

Maloti-Drakensberg

Barberton Mountains

ǂKhomani

class=notpageimage|

Location of World Heritage Sites in South Africa. Blue dots indicate the Fossil Hominid Sites.

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] South Africa accepted the convention on 10 July 1997.^[3] There are ten World Heritage Sites in South Africa, with a further two on the tentative list.^[3]

The first three sites in South Africa were added to the list in 1999 while the most recent one, the Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains, was added in 2018. Five sites are listed for their cultural significance, four for natural, and one site, the Maloti-Drakensberg Park, is listed for both. This site is transnational as it is shared with Lesotho.^[3] South Africa has served as a member of the World Heritage Committee three times: 1999–2005, 2009–2013, and 2019–2023.^[3]