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NaturalRef. 1162

Vredefort crater

Natural World Heritage property in South Africa, inscribed in 2005 under criterion (viii).

Vredefort crater, South Africa
Photo: Tadpolefarm · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
AmbohimangaCape Floristic KingdomChongoni Rock Art AreaCradle of HumankindGreat ZimbabweHuman Rights, Liberation and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy SitesiSimangaliso Wetland ParkIsland of MozambiqueKhamiKhomani Cultural LandscapeLake Malawi National ParkMakhonjwa MountainsMaloti-Drakensberg ParkMana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari AreasMapungubwe Cultural LandscapeMatobo HillsMulanje MassifNamib Sand SeaOkavango DeltaRichtersveldRobben IslandThe Emergence of Modern Humans: The Pleistocene occupation sites of South AfricaTsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature ReserveTsodiloTwyfelfonteinVredefort crater27.000° S, 27.500° E
State Party
South Africa
Region
Africa
Year of inscription
2005
Criteria
viii
Area of property
30,000 ha
Location
Free State, North West
What it is
impact crater, hill
Component parts
4 (serial property)
Reference
WHC 1162 · Wikidata Q330095

Why it is on the List

(viii)An outstanding record of the major stages of Earth’s history: the record of life, geological processes or landforms.
nearby

Closest World Heritage sites

Straight-line distance between the recorded coordinates.

Cradle of Humankind, South Africa116 kmCradle of HumankindSouth Africa · 1999CulturalMaloti-Drakensberg Park, Lesotho331 kmMaloti-Drakensberg ParkLesotho · 2000MixediSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa505 kmiSimangaliso Wetland ParkSouth Africa · 1999NaturalMapungubwe Cultural Landscape, South Africa566 kmMapungubwe Cultural LandscapeSouth Africa · 2003CulturalHuman Rights, Liberation and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites, South Africa647 kmHuman Rights, Liberation and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy SitesSouth Africa · 2024CulturalKhomani Cultural Landscape, South Africa725 kmKhomani Cultural LandscapeSouth Africa · 2017Cultural
South Africa

More sites in South Africa

All 12
2005

Also inscribed in 2005

All of 2005

Data: Wikidata (CC0) · danger list as published in 2026 · independent atlas, not affiliated with UNESCO or Petit Futé.