France
Marquesas Islands
Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands are an archipelago of volcanic origin in the South Pacific Ocean, politically part of French Polynesia.
Due to the great geographical isolation and its rugged topography, the archipelago has developed a unique terrestrial and marine ecosystem. Many endemic species, flora and fauna, are specific to the archipelago, sometimes to a single island, or even to a single peak. Its inhabitants developed a specific culture and artistic style. Most remarkable are the ‘Tiki’ stone sculptures, most of which can be found on the island of Hiva Oa.
Community Perspective: This site has been unreviewed so far. Take a good look at the official site maps before planning a visit since the islands are only inscribed partially.
Site Info
Official Information
- Full Name
- Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands (ID: 1707)
- Country
- France
- Status
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Inscribed 2024
Site history
History of Marquesas Islands
- WHS Type
- Mixed
- Criteria
- iii
- vi
- vii
- ix
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Links
- UNESCO
- whc.unesco.org
All Links
UNESCO.org
- whc.unesco.org — whc.unesco.org/
Community Information
- Community Category
- Natural landscape: Insular
- Archaeological site: Pacific
Travel Information
Recent Connections
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Taboo
Ua Pou: "dividing the area into tapu (s… -
Mixed and Serial
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Petroglyphs
Hatiheu and Fatu Iva; "The Marquesas Is…
Connections of Marquesas Islands
- Individual People
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Captain James Cook
"James Cook made a brief stopover there in 1774, and in the years that followed the archipelago was visited by numerous navigators." - AB Evaluation
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- Geography
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Archipelagos
"one of the most isolated archipelagos from any continent in the world" (AB ev) -
Marine sites
3,151 sq km marine, 307 sq km terrestrial (map in AB ev) -
Polynesia
In French Polynesia -
Pacific Ocean
"Located in the centre of the South Pacific Ocean" (AB ev) -
Dependent territories
French Polynesia -
Canyons
Grand Canyon of Nuku Hiva -
Situated in one of the SIDS
French Polynesia is a Non-UN Member/Associate Member of the Regional Commissions SIDS -
Isolated WHS
Ca 1,424 km from Taputapuātea
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- Trivia
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Cultural sites closely connected to volcanoes
"Except for Ua Pou, the islands are collapsed volcanos offering a landscape of imposing mountains rising from the sea" (AB ev) -
Minority communities
"the territorial occupation of the Marquesas archipelago by the Ènata between the 10th and the 19th centuries" (crit iii)
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- Ecology
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Cloud forest
"The islands are extremely rugged in relief and have a diverse landscape, including continuums of vegetation from the coastline to the island peaks, and areas of tropical montane cloud forests." - AB Evaluation -
Molluscs
"Marquesan waters are home to exceptional endemism in relation to the surface area of the property for coastal fish (13.7%) and molluscs (10%), i.e. 3,400 km." - AB Evaluation -
Sharks
Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini, CR) and Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus, CR) "The coastal marine ecosystem is home to 40 emblematic species, including 16 marine mammals, 26 rays and sharks, and 1 endangered marine turtle, all concentrated around the 12 islands that make up the archipelago and many of which are globally threatened. More than 40% of the fish species are endemic to the ecoregion, all of which dwell in shallow marine, brackish and riverine habitats." - AB Evaluation -
Critically endangered fauna species
Marquesas Kingfisher (endemic to Tahuata Island), 350 mature individuals -
Endemic Bird Species
The archipelago is home to one of the most diverse seabird assemblages in the tropical waters of the South Pacific. It is one of the few known breeding sites in the world for 21 species of seabirds and 13 species and subspecies of land birds are endemic to the archipelago. Fatu Iva and Tahuata are respectively home to an endangered endemic species, òmaò keekee (around 30 individuals), and the pahi (less than 300 individuals estimated in 2017)." - AB Evaluation -
Fish
"The percentage of endemism is high in comparison to older archipelagos, whereas the nominated property supports high species endemism due to its extremely isolated position. For instance, it ranks third in the Indo-Pacific region for endemism of coral reef fishes." - AB Evaluation
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- Architecture
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Dry Stone Construction
"The property also includes archaeological sites ranging from monumental dry-stone structures to lithic sculptures and engravings" - UNESCO
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- World Heritage Process
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Mixed sites inscribed on 5 or more criteria
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Natural sites filling gaps cited by IUCN
Polynesian rainforest -
Mixed and Serial
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- Religion and Belief
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Taboo
Ua Pou: "dividing the area into tapu (sacred or forbidden places) and community zones" (AB ev)
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- Human Activity
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Petroglyphs
Hatiheu and Fatu Iva; "The Marquesas Islands are also home to many petroglyphs and are said to hold the richest diversity of motifs found in French Polynesia" (AB ev)
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- WHS on Other Lists
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WWF Global 200
South Pacific Islands forests -
UN list of Non-Self-Governing Territories
French Polynesia - France -
Located in a TCC Territory
Marquesas Islands -
Biodiversity hotspot
Polynesia-Micronesia
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- Timeline
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Built in the 11th century
"The nominated property shows the extraordinary adaptability of a Polynesian society that arrived by sea around the year 1000 CE on one of the most isolated archipelagos of high islands with steep valleys in the world." (AB ev)
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- WHS Names
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Dual WHS names
Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands: Te Henua Enata in (North) Marquesan means "the land of men", while the Marquesas Islands in English/French were named after "after the wife of the 16th century Spanish Viceroy of Peru, the Marquis of Cañete (Spanish: Marqués de Cañete) by navigator Álvaro de Mendaña, who visited them in 1595."See en.wikipedia.org
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