Canaima National Park, World Heritage Site in Venezuela

Located in southeastern Venezuela, Canaima National Park covers more than 30,000 square kilometers along the border between neighboring Guyana and Brazil. Sixty-five percent of the park is covered by Table Mountain (Tepui), which rises over 2,000 meters and is home to many endemic species. It is also famous for Angel Falls, the world’s largest waterfall.

Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why Canaima National Park is a World Heritage Site in an easy-to-understand manner. Read this and you will definitely learn more about Canaima National Park!

What is Canaima National Park? It is famous for its Angel Falls!

The “Guiana Highlands” in the northern part of the South American continent is a vast area known for Table Mountain, which rises over 2,000 meters above sea level, and spans six countries: Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil.

Among them, Canaima National Park in southeastern Venezuela is known for Angel Falls (Angel Falls), the world’s largest waterfall at 979 meters. The park also includes tropical rainforests and savannas, and at more than 30,000 square kilometers, it is about a little smaller than the Kanto region（eastside of Japan）.There are many areas that have never been explored by humans, and it is called “the world’s last unexplored region.

Unaffected by plate tectonics, the geological strata that existed approximately 2 billion years ago remain intact. Table Mountain was exposed to rain and wind for many years, and only the soft ground collapsed, leaving the hard ground and forming a table shape. There are more than 100 Table Mountains of various sizes in the park, and they were worshipped as “tepui” (houses of God) by the indigenous Pemon people.

The sheer cliff tops are isolated from the surrounding area and are home to carnivorous plants and 500 species of orchids, including the frog Oreophrynella, which has protuberances all over its body. The park is home to 4,000 plant species, 75% of which are endemic.

Major Registered Components

Auyantepui

This is the largest of the Table Mountains in the park.It is 2,535 meters above sea level and means “evil spirit Tepui”. The mountain has a circumference of 650 km, making it larger than the 23 wards of Tokyo.Angel Falls, the world’s largest waterfall is also famous for its waterfalls.

Angel Falls

This is the world’s largest waterfall (979 m), falling from Auyantepui, the largest in the Guiana Highlands.Because it falls from so high a height, the water that flows down disperses in the middle and becomes like a haze.Therefore, the waterfall basin is unique in that it does not exist.

For what reason is Canaima National Park on the World Heritage List?

Canaima National Park was recognized for

Registration Criteria (vii)
The beauty of the area is that it is home to some of the most beautiful natural scenery, such as Angel Falls and Table Mountain.

Registration Criteria (vii)
Table Mountain reveals strata that are approximately 2 billion years old, among other things, which means that it represents a major stage in the Earth’s history.

Registration Criteria (ix)
The top of Table Mountain is isolated from its surroundings in that it has a unique ecosystem.

Registration Criteria (x)
It means that the area is home to endangered species such as the giant armadillo, the giant otter, and the frog Oreophrynella, which has protrusions all over its body.

World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Impressions

Described as “the world’s last unexplored region,” Table Mountain and Angel Falls offer spectacular views that can only be seen here in the world.And the geological formation is quite old. Table Mountain is also home to many mysterious animals that have evolved in a unique way.It is also a point of appreciation that special animals such as frogs and oriophrynellas, which were created by this geological formation, can also be seen.

Incidentally, although it is called Angel Falls, it is not an angel, but named after its discoverer, the American aviator Jimmy Angel.

*The contents here are considerations derived from research by World Heritage enthusiasts.As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the medium.