Cape Floral Region Protected Areas, South Africa

This site is located along the border between South Africa’s Southern Cape Province and Eastern Cape Province. The total protected area covers 5,530 km². The region includes a series of heritage sites consisting of eight protected areas and has some of the most abundant plant species in the world. Although it covers less than 0.5% of the total area of Africa, it is home to 20% of the continent’s species. The heritage site also exhibits the most outstanding examples of the ecological and biological processes associated with the fine vegetation of the Fynbos shrubland, which is a major feature of the local plant world. The site’s plant species diversity, population density, and native biological characteristics are among the best in the world. The reproduction strategies of the local plant community, the unique adaptation to fire, the insect-mediated seed transmission route, the local species types, and the adaptive radiation expansion model all have high scientific research value.