Western Ghats India

The mountain chain of the Western Ghats represents geomorphic features of immense importance with unique biophysical and ecological processes. The site's high montane forest ecosystems influence the Indian monsoon weather pattern. Moderating the tropical climate of the region, the site presents one of the best examples of the monsoon system on the planet. It also has an exceptionally high level of biological diversity and endemism and is recognized as one of the world's eight 'hottest hotspots' of biological diversity. The forests of the site include some of the best representatives of non-equatorial tropical evergreen forests anywhere and are home to at least 325 globally threatened flora, fauna, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish species.

Western Ghats
Continent: Asia
Country: India
Category: Natural
Criterion: (IX)(X)
Date of Inscription: 2012

Western Ghats UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Western Ghats constitute a mountain range along the western side of India. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the eight hottest hotspots of biological diversity in the world. This range runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea.

Western Ghats Heritage
Western Ghats India

Browse Gallery Plus UNESCO Storyline

Hottest Biodiversity Hotspot

The range starts near the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra, south of the Tapti River, and runs approximately 1,600 km through the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala ending at Kanyakumari, at the southern tip of India.

These hills cover 160,000 km and form the catchment area for complex riverine drainage systems that drain almost 40% of India. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan Plateau. The average elevation is around 3,900 feet.

The area is one of the world's ten "Hottest biodiversity hotspots" and has over 5000 species of flowering plants, 139 mammal species, 508 bird species and 179 amphibian species; it is likely that many undiscovered species live in the Western Ghats. At least 325 globally threatened species occur in the Western Ghats.

Slideshow for this Heritage Site


Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in . The original UNESCO inscription Here!!!

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