Valley of Flowers
| Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks | |
|---|---|
| Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List | |
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| Location | India |
| Type | Natural |
| Criteria | vii, x |
| Reference | 335 |
| UNESCO region | Asia-Pacific |
| Coordinates | 30°43′30″N 79°36′20″E / 30.7250°N 79.6056°ECoordinates: 30°43′30″N 79°36′20″E / 30.7250°N 79.6056°E |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1988 (12th Session) |
| Extensions | 2005 |
 Location of Valley of Flowers National Park in India Uttarakhand.
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Valley of Flowers National Park is an Indian national park, located in West Himalaya, in the state of Uttarakhand and is known for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and the variety of flora. This richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear,snow leopard,musk deer,brown bear, red fox, and blue sheep. Birds found in the park include Himalayan monal pheasant and other high altitude birds. At 3352 to 3658 meters above sea level, the gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park to the east. Together, they encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya. The park stretches over an expanse of 87.50 km2 and it is about 8 km long and 2 km wide. Both parks are encompassed in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (223,674 ha) which is further surrounded by a buffer zone (5,148.57 km2). This Reserve is in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2004.
The Valley of Flowers is a high-altitude Himalayan valley that has long been acknowledged by renowned mountaineers, botanists, and in literature. It has been recognized internationally for over a century and is referenced in the Hindu religion. Local people have visited the valley since ancient times. Indian yogis (Yogesh Mota) are known to have visited the valley for meditation. The Valley of Flowers has many different colourful flowers, taking on various shades of colours as time progressed. The valley was declared a national park in 1982 and now it is a World Heritage Site.
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