Kiunga was designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1980. It is situated in the South Eastern part of Kenya’s coastal strip. It is located in Lamu county of Kenya. The vegetation consists mainly of shrubs. Some of the areas have mangrove forests. The coastal strip has sandy beaches with sand dunes, which provide the source of clean water in the area. The islands consist of coral reefs and organic debris.
The Biosphere Reserve hosts a number of sea birds, turtles and dugongs. Government agencies like the Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) in collaboration with the county government are involved in the protection of water catchment areas
Description
Map
Surface : 706,851.39 ha
- Core area(s): 99,147.786 ha
- Buffer zone(s): 173,666.017 ha
- Transition zone(s): 438,037.587 ha
Location: N/A
Administrative Authorities
Senior Warden, Kenya Wildlife Service
Secretary General
P.O. Box: 69
Naromoru, Kenya
Tel.: 0722279502
Email: mountkenya@kws.go.ke
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Ecological Characteristics
N/A
Socio-Economic Characteristics
In the past decade, the local economy has witness some positive developments. With its coral reefs, sand dunes and opportunities for water sports, tourism has increased, especially ecotourism since it was declared a Biosphere Reserve.
Other activities include fishing, forestry, agriculture, beekeeping, as well as manufactoring and construction-related activities.
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Last updated: January 2019