The Ahwar[a] of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Southern Iraq.
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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The ruins of Ur, with the Ziggurat of Ur visible in the background | |
Official name | The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities |
Location | Iraq |
Includes | 4 marshes and 3 cities |
Criteria | Mixed: (iii), (v), (ix), (x) |
Reference | 1481 |
Inscription | 2016 (40th Session) |
Area | 211,544 ha (816.78 sq mi) |
Buffer zone | 209,321 ha (808.19 sq mi) |
Coordinates | 31°33′44″N 47°39′28″E / 31.562222°N 47.657778°E |
The Ahwar currently consists of seven sites, including three cities of Sumerian origin and four wetland areas of the Mesopotamian Marshes: