India's 1600-km long Western Ghats mountain chain, whichhas forests older than the Himalaya mountains, has been added to list of worldheritage sites by the United Nations.
The Western Ghats 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 monsoonweather pattern.
The ghats, which start at the border of Gujarat and Maharashtra and runsthrough the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala endingat Kanyakumari, was added to the World Heritage list by the United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
A historic opera house in Germany, a border town and its fortifications inPortugal, and eight interconnected lakes in Chad are some of the other sitesthat have been added to the list.
The Margravial Opera House Bayreuth in Germany, which was built in the 18thcentury, is considered a masterpiece of Baroque theatre architecture. It is theonly entirely preserved example of its type where an audience of 500 canexperience Baroque court opera culture and acoustics authentically, as itsauditorium retains its original materials.
The border town of Elvas and its fortifications in Portugal, was also added tothe list, as the site represents the largest bulwarked dry ditch system in theworld. While Elvas contains remains dating back to the 10th century, itsfortification began when Portugal regained independence in 1640.
The Lakes of Ounianga in Chad, which are 18 interconnected lakes in the aridEnnedi region of the Sahara Desert covering an area of 62,808 hectares, werealso added to the list. The saline and freshwater lakes are home to diversefauna and microorganisms.
The World Heritage Committee meets once a year, and is responsible for theimplementation of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, which defines the kindof natural or cultural sites which can be considered for inscription on theWorld Heritage List.
Other inscriptions to the list this year include a pearling site in BahrainMasjed-e Jame of Isfahan and an ancient mosque and a 53-metre high tomb inIran, Gonbad-e Qabus.
