Mozambique - The Quirimbas Archipelago

The Quirimbas Archipelago, a cultural and natural heritage in northern Mozambique, consists of 31 islands stretching south from Cape Delgado for approximately 200 miles. These islands, running along the coast, are partly linked to the coast by sand bars, coral reefs, mangroves and water rich in marine life. Of special interest are the Islands of Ibo, and to a less extent, Quisiva and Matemo, that are old Portuguese settlements with pre-colonial Swahili settlements. The site is an outstanding illustration of the phases of a particular culture that brought together and homogenized disparate elements of the cultures of Africa, the Arab region, India, and Europe over more than a millennium.