Mount Fanjing China’s 13th World Natural Heritage site

The 42nd session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee included Mount Fanjing, located in Southwest China’s Guizhou Province, as a World Natural Heritage site on July 2 in Manama, Bahrain.

The 13th site to be included in this category, Mount Fanjing is the highest peak in the Wuling mountain range at 2,572 meters above sea level.

Mainly consisting of metamorphic rock, the mountain is one of the first areas to rise from the ocean over the course of the region’s 140 million years of geological evolution. It’s unique physical traits and ecosystem, has made the mountain a major tourist attraction that brings in visitors from both home and abroad.

The mountain has been dubbed as a “biological gene pool” as it is home to more than 5,000 wild species, including 19 threatened animal species and 31 national-level protected plants. Mount Fanjing has one of the world’s most diverse and complete primeval forests, which covers more than 95 percent of the entire area.

Apart from its splendid landscape, the mountain is also an important area for Buddhism, which was introduced into the area during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and came into its heyday during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Hundreds of temples can be seen on the mountain.

The unique natural beauty and religion in the region continues to draw growing numbers of visitors each year. According to a Beijing Business Today report, tourism in the area brought in 182 million yuan – a 40 percent year-on-year increase – while retained profit reached 71.49 million yuan, a dramatic increase of 77 percent year on year.

China now has 53 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list, with Guizhou Province boasting the highest number of listed natural heritage sites.

Mount Fanjing’s new title is expected to cause a bump in visitors to the region over the next few years.