Natural United Kingdom

Gough and Inaccessible Islands

Site Ratings
1 location
Connections for Gough and Inaccessible Islands

Gough and Inaccessible Islands are known for their undisturbed state and large seabird population.

These two islands in the Tristan da Cunha archipelago are volcanic islands rising from the South Atlantic Ocean, about 350km from each other. Gough Island holds almost the entire world population of the Tristan albatross and the Atlantic Petrel, and it has two endemic land birds including the almost flightless Gough moorhen. Inaccessible Island is characterized by steep cliffs around its entire coastline. It supports 10% of the global population of Northern Rockhopper Penguins and is the most important breeding site for Great Shearwaters.

Community Perspective: This is a rare site to visit. Solivagant did so in 2002 on an expedition cruise taking in the mid-Atlantic islands, and reports on the circumnavigation of Gough Island, the luxuriant vegetation and orgasmic twitchers.

Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
Gough and Inaccessible Islands (ID: 740)
Country
United Kingdom
Status
Inscribed 1995 Site history
History of Gough and Inaccessible Islands
2004: Extended
Extension to include the neighbouring Inaccessible Island and the surrounding marine zone extending out to 12 nautical miles
2004: Name change
From "Gough Island Wildlife Reserve" to "Gough and Inaccessible Islands"
2003: Requested by State Party to not be examined
Possible extension withdrawn
1995: Inscribed
Inscribed
Type
Natural
Criteria
  • vii
  • x
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
Official
All Links
UNESCO.org
Official Website
News Article
  • 4 May 2023 bbc.com — Gough Island: Worker sought for one of world's remotest places
  • 16 Dec 2021 bbc.com — Heartbreak over 'failed' bid to remove Gough Island's mice
  • 14 Nov 2020 theguardian.com — Waters around Gough Island are to become one of the world’s largest marine sanctuaries to protect wildlife.
  • 21 Mar 2011 oceandoctor.org — Oil from the wrecked freighter Inaccessible Island
  • 20 May 2008 guardian.co.uk — Giant carnivorous mice threaten world's greatest seabird colony at Gough Island

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Natural landscape: Insular
  • Natural landscape: Marine and Coastal
Travel Information
One thousand visitors or fewer
One thousand visitors or fewer
“Tourist numbers to both component islands of the site are very low, with ca. …
Not open to tourists
Not open to tourists
Visitors are not allowed to land on Gough island. Tourists are limited to Zodiac …
Recent Connections
View all (38) .
Connections of Gough and Inaccessible Islands
News
bbc.com 04/05/2023
Gough Island: Worker sought for on…
bbc.com 16/12/2021
Heartbreak over 'failed' bid to re…
theguardian.com 14/11/2020
Waters around Gough Island are to …

Community Reviews