Islas Marietas
Component of Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California
This site is inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Overview
The site comprises 244 islands, islets and coastal areas that are located in the Gulf of California in north-eastern Mexico. The Sea of Cortez and its islands have been called a natural laboratory for the investigation of speciation. Moreover, almost all major oceanographic processes occurring in the planet’s oceans are present in the property, giving it extraordinary importance for study. The site is one of striking natural beauty in a dramatic setting formed by rugged islands with high cliffs and sandy beaches, which contrast with the brilliant reflection from the desert and the surrounding turquoise waters. It is home to 695 vascular plant species, more than in any marine and insular property on the World Heritage List. Equally exceptional is the number of fish species: 891, 90 of them endemic. The site, moreover, contains 39% of the world’s total number of species of marine mammals and a third of the world’s marine cetacean species.
About Islas Marietas
The Marieta Islands are a group of small uninhabited islands a few miles off the coast of the state of Nayarit, Mexico, located in federal waters approximately 7.9 kilometres (4.9 mi) southwest of the peninsula known as Punta de Mita, in the municipality of Bahía de Banderas.
Read more on WikipediaSelection Criteria
(vii)(ix)(x)
Details
- Countries
- Mexico
- ISO Codes
- MX
- Coordinates
- 20.6981, -105.5863
Stay Nearby
Islas Marietas
Attractions & Tickets
Islas Marietas
Getting Here
Islas Marietas