Ahwar of Southern Iraq

The Ahwar^[a] of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Southern Iraq.

Ahwar of Southern Iraq

UNESCO World Heritage Site
The ruins of Ur, with the Ziggurat of Ur visible in the background
Official name	The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities
Location	Iraq
Includes	4 marshes and 3 cities
Criteria	Mixed: (iii), (v), (ix), (x)
Reference	1481
Inscription	2016 (40th Session)
Area	211,544 ha (816.78 sq mi)
Buffer zone	209,321 ha (808.19 sq mi)
Coordinates	31°33′44″N 47°39′28″E
Location of Ahwar of Southern Iraq in Iraq

The Ahwar currently consists of seven sites, including three cities of Sumerian origin and four wetland areas of the Mesopotamian Marshes:

1. Huwaizah Marshes
2. Central Marshes
3. East Hammar Marshes
4. West Hammar Marshes
5. Uruk Archaeological City
6. Ur Archaeological City
7. Tell Eridu Archaeological Site

Notes

1. Ahwar is an Arabic word for marshland.