Lorentz National Park World Heritage Site

Official name

Lorentz National Park | UNESCO

Country

Indonesia | Map

Continent

Asia

Location

Province of Papua (formerly Irian Jaya)
-4.7500° Lat, 137.8333° Lon | Map

Code

955

Time Zone

Asia/Jakarta (WIB, +0700)

Current Time

Category

Natural

Description

Inscribed 1999. Lorentz National Park (2.35 million ha) is the largest protected area in South-East Asia. It is the only protected area in the world to incorporate a continuous, intact transect from snowcap to tropical marine environment, including extensive lowland wetlands. Located at the meeting-point of two colliding continental plates, the area has a complex geology with ongoing mountain formation as well as major sculpting by glaciation. The area also contains fossil sites which provide evidence of the evolution of life on New Guinea, a high level of endemism and the highest level of biodiversity in the region.