Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems
Natural
1115
2008
Natural
Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems is a UNESCO World Heritage natural, inscribed in 2008 (WHS 1115).
Criteria & Perimeter
Inscription criteria
(vii)(ix)(x)
Category
Natural
Summary
This serial site comprises six marine clusters that represent the main diversity of coral reefs and associated ecosystems in the French Pacific Ocean archipelago of New Caledonia and one of the three most extensive reef systems in the world. These Lagoons are of exceptional natural beauty. They feature an exceptional diversity of coral and fish species and a continuum of habitats from mangroves to seagrasses with the world’s most diverse concentration of reef structures. The Lagoons of New Caledonia display intact ecosystems, with healthy populations of large predators, and a great number and diversity of big fish. They provide habitat to a number of emblematic or threatened marine species such as turtles, whales or dugongs whose population here is the third largest in the world.
Monuments in the Zone
Selection of protected monuments
- Maison dite Porte de la Vallée — Les Rosiers-sur-Loire
- Vestiges du château de Bourg-le-Château — Bommiers
- Ancien palais des Gouverneurs — Tours
- Tour d'Argent (ancien Hôtel des Monnaies des Comtes de Blois) — Blois
- Château d'Oursières de Argenvilliers — Argenvilliers
- Ancien presbytère de Vouzon — Vouzon
- Eglise de Gesnes-le-Gandelin — Gesnes-le-Gandelin
- Château de Montertreau — Parigné-le-Pôlin
- Eglise Saint-Sébastien — Baignolet
- Manoir de Princé de Beaufort-en-Vallée — Beaufort-en-Vallée
- Maison de maître de la Charpenterie — Cornillé-les-Caves
- Maison du 16e siècle de Ouzouer-sur-Trézée — Ouzouer-sur-Trézée
- Eglise Saint-Saturnin — Vorly
- Château de la Vallée de Assigny — Assigny
- Maison dite de Malicorne — Crosmières
Appellations of the Landscape
Most-reviewed Loire appellations
| Appellation | Avg score | Reviews | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sancerre | 89.3 | 554 | White |
| Muscadet Sèvre et Maine | 88.6 | 237 | White |
| Pouilly-Fumé | 89.6 | 153 | White |
| Vouvray | 88.4 | 153 | White |
| Touraine | 86.3 | 85 | White |
| Chinon | 88.7 | 72 | Red |
| Menetou-Salon | 87.3 | 69 | White |
| Crémant de Loire | 87.5 | 54 | Sparkling |
| Val de Loire | 85.6 | 41 | White |
| Saumur | 88.4 | 40 | White |
| Anjou | 87.6 | 36 | White |
| Rosé d'Anjou | 84 | 35 | Rosé |
Data source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre (data.culture.gouv.fr). Last updated: April 14, 2026.