🏝️ Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island
UNESCO World Heritage Site — Ryukyu Islands biodiversity hotspot
📋 Fast Facts
- Designated UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021
- Five component parts across four Japanese islands in the Ryukyu Chain
- Home to critically endangered endemic species including the Amami rabbit and Iriomote cat
- Subtropical rainforests, mangrove forests, and karst limestone landscapes
Four islands in Japan's Ryukyu Chain were collectively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021 for their exceptional biodiversity and unique subtropical ecosystems. The serial site encompasses Amami-Ōshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, the northern part of Okinawa Island (Yanbaru region), and Iriomote Island. Isolated geography and varied topography have fostered the evolution of distinct flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth, making this region a globally significant ...