UNESCO officially designated Raja Ampat Islands as a World Biosphere Reserve during the 37th International Coordination Council (ICC) Program Man and the Biosphere (MAB) session in Lin'an, Hangzhou, China, on Saturday, September 27, 2025.
With this new status, Raja Ampat becomes Indonesia's 21st Biosphere Reserve and strengthens its position as a world-class conservation area, recognized as the "heart of the world's marine biodiversity" with 75% of the world's coral species and hundreds of species of reef fish, mollusks, marine mammals, sea turtles, sharks, and rays.
Beyond its ecological wealth, Raja Ampat possesses strong local cultural diversity, featuring cultural traces such as egg stones, rock paintings, and traditional ceremonies that enrich the region's overall heritage.
The Raja Ampat Biosphere Reserve covers approximately 135,000 square kilometers with more than 610 islands, of which only 34 are inhabited by around 275 million people living within the area.
This designation marks Raja Ampat's second international recognition after being named a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2023, reinforcing conservation efforts to protect coral reefs, mangroves, and endangered wildlife from threats such as mining and overfishing.
