The United Nations designates Western Ghats as world heritage site
Updated: July 02, 2012 19:34 IST
India's 1600-km long Western Ghats mountain chain, which has forests older than the Himalaya mountains, has been added to list of world heritage sites by the United Nations.
The Western Ghats has been designated as a world heritage site by the United Nations. The mountain chain is recognised as one of the world's eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity. The chain's forests, which are older than the Himalaya mountains influence the Indian monsoon weather pattern.
The mountain chain starts at the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra and runs through the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala ending at Kanyakumari, southern-most point of mainland India.
The World Heritage Committee meets once a year, and is responsible for the implementation of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, which defines the kind of natural or cultural sites which can be considered for inscription on the World Heritage List.
Clouds hover a natural lake amongst the mountains at Saputara situated in the Western Ghats. It has been declared a heritage site by the United Nations.
Indian villagers ride bullock carts past a lake in the mountains at Saputara situated in the Western Ghats.
