colchic rainforests and wetlands
states: [georgia]
category: natural
year: 2021
region: Europe and North America
latitude/longitude: 41.7022777778, 41.9512000000
unesco id: 1616
world heritage site: 1616
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The Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Georgia, recognized in 2021, are ancient rainforests and peatlands along the eastern Black Sea coast, preserving ecosystems from the Tertiary period. This biodiversity hotspot hosts relict species like Colchic boxwood and sturgeon, thriving in temperate forests, limestone gorges, and coastal wetlands. Protected across four parks—Kintrishi, Mtirala, Kobuleti, and Kolkheti—it showcases Georgia’s unique ecological legacy, offering a rare window into Europe’s prehistoric landscapes and their continued natural evolution.