Marquesas Islands

Marquesas Islands — Photo by Roman Bruehwiler.

Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands are an archipelago of volcanic origin in the South Pacific Ocean, politically part of French Polynesia.

Due to the great geographical isolation and its rugged topography, the archipelago has developed a unique terrestrial and marine ecosystem. Many endemic species, flora and fauna, are specific to the archipelago, sometimes to a single island, or even to a single peak. Its inhabitants developed a specific culture and artistic style. Most remarkable are the ‘Tiki’ stone sculptures, most of which can be found on the island of Hiva Oa.

Community Perspective: This site has been unreviewed so far. Take a good look at the official site maps before planning a visit since the islands are only inscribed partially.

Map of Marquesas Islands

Community Rating

Site Info

Full Name: Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands
Unesco ID: 1707
Country: France
Inscribed: 2024
Type: Mixed
Criteria: 3 6 7 9 10
Categories: Archaeological site - Pacific Natural landscape - Insular
Link: By ID

Site History

2024 Inscribed

2010 Revision

Renomination of Les Iles Marquises (1996)

Site Links

Unesco Website

Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands

Locations

The site has 7 locations

Marquesas Islands: Ensemble mixte de Eiao-Hatu Tu

Marquesas Islands: Ensemble mixte de Nuku Hiva

Marquesas Islands: Ensemble mixte de Ua Pou

Marquesas Islands: Aire marine côtière de Ua Huka

Marquesas Islands: Ensemble mixte de Hiva Oa-Tahuata

Marquesas Islands: Ensemble mixte de Fatu Uku

Marquesas Islands: Ensemble mixte de Fatu Iva

Connections

The site has 28 connections

Art and Architecture

Dry Stone Construction: "The property also includes archaeological sites ranging from monumental dry-stone structures to lithic sculptures and engravings" - UNESCO

Ecology

Endemic Bird Species: The archipelago is home to one of the most diverse seabird assemblages in the tropical waters of the South Pacific. It is one of the few known breeding sites in the world for 21 species of seabirds and 13 species and subspecies of land birds are endemic to the archipelago. Fatu Iva and Tahuata are respectively home to an endangered endemic species, òmaò keekee (around 30 individuals), and the pahi (less than 300 individuals estimated in 2017)." - AB Evaluation

Fish: "The percentage of endemism is high in comparison to older archipelagos, whereas the nominated property supports high species endemism due to its extremely isolated position. For instance, it ranks third in the Indo-Pacific region for endemism of coral reef fishes." - AB Evaluation

Molluscs: "Marquesan waters are home to exceptional endemism in relation to the surface area of the property for coastal fish (13.7%) and molluscs (10%), i.e. 3,400 km." - AB Evaluation

Sharks: Scalloped Hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini, CR) and Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus, CR) "The coastal marine ecosystem is home to 40 emblematic species, including 16 marine mammals, 26 rays and sharks, and 1 endangered marine turtle, all concentrated around the 12 islands that make up the archipelago and many of which are globally threatened. More than 40% of the fish species are endemic to the ecoregion, all of which dwell in shallow marine, brackish and riverine habitats." - AB Evaluation

Critically endangered fauna species: Marquesas Kingfisher (endemic to Tahuata Island), 350 mature individuals

Cloud forest: "The islands are extremely rugged in relief and have a diverse landscape, including continuums of vegetation from the coastline to the island peaks, and areas of tropical montane cloud forests." - AB Evaluation

Geography

Archipelagos: "one of the most isolated archipelagos from any continent in the world" (AB ev)

Polynesia: In French Polynesia

Pacific Ocean: "Located in the centre of the South Pacific Ocean" (AB ev)

Dependent territories: French Polynesia

Situated in one of the SIDS: French Polynesia is a Non-UN Member/Associate Member of the Regional Commissions SIDS

Marine sites: 3,151 sq km marine, 307 sq km terrestrial (map in AB ev)

Isolated WHS: Ca 1,424 km from Taputapuātea

Canyons: Grand Canyon of Nuku Hiva

Human Activity

Petroglyphs: Hatiheu and Fatu Iva; "The Marquesas Islands are also home to many petroglyphs and are said to hold the richest diversity of motifs found in French Polynesia" (AB ev)

Individual People

Captain James Cook: "James Cook made a brief stopover there in 1774, and in the years that followed the archipelago was visited by numerous navigators." - AB Evaluation

Timeline

Built in the 11th century: "The nominated property shows the extraordinary adaptability of a Polynesian society that arrived by sea around the year 1000 CE on one of the most isolated archipelagos of high islands with steep valleys in the world." (AB ev)

Trivia

Minority communities: "the territorial occupation of the Marquesas archipelago by the Ènata between the 10th and the 19th centuries" (crit iii)

Cultural sites closely connected to volcanoes: "Except for Ua Pou, the islands are collapsed volcanos offering a landscape of imposing mountains rising from the sea" (AB ev)

WHS Names

Dual WHS names: Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands: Te Henua Enata in (North) Marquesan means "the land of men", while the Marquesas Islands in English/French were named after "after the wife of the 16th century Spanish Viceroy of Peru, the Marquis of Cañete (Spanish: Marqués de Cañete) by navigator Álvaro de Mendaña, who visited them in 1595."

WHS on Other Lists

Biodiversity hotspot: Polynesia-Micronesia

Located in a TCC Territory: Marquesas Islands

UN list of Non-Self-Governing Territories: French Polynesia - France

WWF Global 200: South Pacific Islands forests

World Heritage Process

Natural sites filling gaps cited by IUCN: Polynesian rainforest

Mixed sites inscribed on 5 or more criteria: 5

Mixed and Serial

Visitors

1 Community Members have visited.

Toxicologist

The Plaque

No plaque has been identified yet for this site.