National Parks of ChinaOverview
| Designation | UNESCO World Heritage (natural, 2026) |
| Name | Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge |
| Country | United States of America |
| Nearby cities | Atlanta, Orlando |
| Nearby sites | Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Congaree National Park |
| Latitude, longitude | 30.80, -82.31 Google Maps |
About
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2026 as a natural site.
Why it was inscribed
The World Heritage Committee found that it meets criteria (ix), (x) of the ten selection criteria:
(ix) an outstanding example of significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of ecosystems and communities of plants and animals.
(x) the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value.
Description (UNESCO World Heritage Centre)
The property, located in southeastern Georgia and northeastern Florida, protects the Okefenokee Swamp, the largest lowland freshwater peatland in the subtropical zone worldwide and one of the largest and most intact ecosystems within the North American Coastal Plain global biodiversity hotspot. The property comprises a diverse mosaic of wetlands, savannas, and forests shaped by the ongoing interaction of water, fire, vegetation, and wildlife, with alternating fire and rainfall processes driving peat formation, vegetation structure, and biodiversity. The site also contains significant areas of