World Heritage Sites in Africa

Syllabus tag: Kenya CBC | Grade 9 Social Studies | Strand 4.0 Natural and Historic Built Environments | Sub-Strand 4.5 World Heritage Sites in Africa (6 Lessons)

Lesson objectives

By the end of this sub-strand, you should be able to:

• Identify selected world heritage sites in Africa and locate them.
• Explain why sites are designated as world heritage.
• Discuss threats facing heritage sites and measures to protect them.
• Appreciate the importance of conserving world heritage sites.

Summary

A world heritage site is a place recognised by UNESCO as having outstanding universal value, meaning significance so great that it matters to humanity as a whole rather than only to the country holding it. Sites are classified as cultural, natural or mixed. Africa holds many, including the Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela in Ethiopia, the Pyramids of Egypt, Great Zimbabwe, Timbuktu in Mali, Robben Island in South Africa, and in Kenya Lamu Old Town, Fort Jesus, the Lake System in the Great Rift Valley, Mount Kenya and the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests.