Cederberg Wilderness Area | |
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IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
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Sneeuberg, the highest peak in the Cederberg, with the Maltese Cross in the foreground.
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Location | West Coast, Western Cape, South Africa |
Nearest city | Clanwilliam |
Coordinates | 32°20′S 19°5′E / 32.333°S 19.083°ECoordinates: 32°20′S 19°5′E / 32.333°S 19.083°E |
Area | 710 km2 (270 sq mi) |
Established | 1973 |
Governing body | CapeNature |
World Heritage Site | 2004 (Cape Floral Region Protected Areas) |
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UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
Criteria | Natural: (ix), (x) |
Reference | 1007-002 |
Inscription | 2004 (28th Session) |
Extensions | 2015 |
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The Cederberg mountains (Afrikaans: Sederberg) and nature reserve are located near Clanwilliam, approximately 300 km north of Cape Town, South Africa at about 32°30′S 19°0′E / 32.500°S 19.000°E. The mountain range is named after the endangered Clanwilliam cedar (Widdringtonia cedarbergensis), which is a tree endemic to the area. The mountains are noted for dramatic rock formations and San rock art. The Cederberg Wilderness Area is administered by CapeNature.
Cederberg is now the generally accepted spelling for the area, which combines the English (Cedarberg) and Afrikaans (Sederberg) variants.
The Cederberg mountains extend about 50 km north-south by 20 km east-west. They are bordered on the west by the Sandveld, the north by the Pakhuis Mountains, the east by the Springbok Flats and the south by the Kouebokkeveld Mountains and the Skurweberge. The main access road, the N7, runs to the west of the range. The nearest towns are Citrusdal to the southwest and Clanwilliam to the north. The area is sparsely populated.