South Africa
South Africa has been a State Party to the World Heritage Convention since 1997. With 12 inscribed properties, the country maintains a well-established presence on the World Heritage List. Its inscriptions include cultural and natural properties, representing a diverse heritage portfolio. Some of these properties are shared with neighboring countries, demonstrating cooperation across borders in heritage conservation.
South Africa as a State Party to the World Heritage Convention
State Party since: July 10, 1997
Status: Ratification
Mandates to the World Heritage Committee: 1999-2005, 2009-2013, 2019-2023
Total of Mandate Years: 14
Total of Mandates: 3
WHC Electoral Group: V(a) (Africa)
World Heritage Sites in South Africa (12)
Cultural: 7 | Natural: 4 | Mixed: 1
- Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains · Natural
- Cape Floral Region Protected Areas · Natural
- Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa · Cultural
- Human Rights, Liberation and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites · Cultural
- Maloti-Drakensberg Park · Mixed (Transboundary)
- Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape · Cultural
- Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape · Cultural
- Robben Island · Cultural
- The Emergence of Modern Human Behaviour: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa · Cultural
- Vredefort Dome · Natural
- iSimangaliso Wetland Park – Maputo National Park · Natural (Transboundary)
- ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape · Cultural
Map of World Heritage Sites
Tentative World Heritage Sites
No tentative sites yet.
Country Profile South Africa
Official Name: Republic of South Africa
Continent: Africa
Subregion: Southern Africa
UNESCO Region: Africa
Capital: Pretoria; Bloemfontein; Cape Town
Population (2024): 64,007,187
Land Area: 1,213,090 km²
Currency: South African rand (ZAR)