French Islands Named UNESCO World Heritage Site: “One of the Most Isolated Places in the World”
The virgin archipelago, after several years of struggle, was entered onto the prestigious UNESCO list. The French Marquesas Islands are a true paradise located on the Pacific Ocean.
The French have reason to rejoice. The European country has just gained its 53rd entry on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The latest attraction on the prestigious list, however, is located nearly 15 thousand kilometers from the center of Paris. The Marquesas, because that’s what we’re talking about, is an archipelago that is part of French Polynesia, which was recognized as an overseas territory of France in 1946. The virgin islands have been distinguished for their unique biodiversity and extraordinary culture.
New sites on the UNESCO list
During the UNESCO World Heritage Committee summit held in India on July 21-31, 2024, it was decided to add more attractions to the list. The list includes both tourist pearls located close to Poland and distant places that mass tourism has not yet reached. This year’s lucky ones include the Marquesas Islands, selected by the committee, which after years of effort received an international distinction. “Located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the Marquesas archipelago (12 main islands, including 6 inhabited) is one of the most isolated places in the world and an important point of terrestrial and marine biodiversity of the Pacific,” we read on the official website of the Ministry of Ecological Transformation and Territorial Cohesion.
Great pride for France
The inclusion of the Marquesas, home to just 10,000 people, carries the risk of an influx of tourists who could degrade the archipelago’s natural environment. “UNESCO has questioned us four times about the Marquesas. The most important question was how to manage the influx of visitors. The Marquesas are expensive and difficult to access, which will definitely limit attendance,” said the former Minister of Culture of French Polynesia, Heremoana Maamaatuaiahutapu, who has been actively involved in the efforts to obtain the status for the past few years. The President of the Republic also commented on the long-awaited UNESCO inscription. “What a pride for France! It is a universal treasure of biodiversity and culture that we must protect at all costs,” Macron wrote on the X platform.
