Why in news?
Seven Indian natural sites were added to UNESCO’s Tentative List in 2025. Being placed on the list is the first step towards World Heritage nomination.
Newly added sites
- Deccan Traps (Maharashtra): Ancient volcanic flood basalts around the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary showcase earth processes linked to the breakup of Gondwana.
- St Mary’s Islands (Karnataka): A cluster of islands near Malpe harbour known for columnar basalt rock formations formed about 85 million years ago when the Indian plate separated from Madagascar.
- Meghalayan Age Caves (Meghalaya): Limestone caves such as Mawmluh preserved stalagmites that define the youngest age of the geological time scale and serve as a Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP).
- Naga Hill Ophiolite (Nagaland): An uplifted section of oceanic crust showing serpentinised peridotite and basalt, offering insights into plate tectonics and mountain formation.
- Erra Matti Dibbalu (Andhra Pradesh): Red sand dunes near Visakhapatnam that record past climatic changes and monsoon intensity through distinct layers.
- Natural Heritage of Tirumala Hills (Andhra Pradesh): Includes the Eparchaean unconformity—a contact between 1.6‑billion‑year‑old granite and 1‑billion‑year‑old sedimentary rocks—and the natural rock arch Silathoranam.
- Varkala Cliffs (Kerala): Coastal cliffs exposing the Warkalli Formation with unique reddish sand, fossil fauna and fresh water spouts emerging from the cliff face.
Importance of tentative listing
- India now has 69 properties on UNESCO’s Tentative List, including 49 cultural, 17 natural and three mixed sites. Being on the list enables preparation of nomination dossiers and global awareness.
- The inclusion highlights India’s geological diversity and promotes conservation and geotourism.