Erra Matti Dibbalu and Tirumala Hills: UNESCO Tentative List
Why in the news
Two geological heritage sites of Andhra Pradesh, Erra Matti Dibbalu and the Tirumala Hills, are being highlighted after being added to India’s UNESCO Tentative List in August 2025.
Key facts
- Erra Matti Dibbalu (red sand hills): about 1,500 acres of dunes near Visakhapatnam; a National Geo-heritage Monument declared by the Geological Survey of India in 2016.
- Tirumala Hills, Tirupati district: home to the Eparchaean Unconformity and the Silathoranam (Natural Arch), estimated at over 1.5 billion years old.
- The hills sit within the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve and Venkateswara National Park.
- Seven natural sites were added in total.
| India’s Tentative List | Count |
|---|---|
| Cultural | 49 |
| Natural | 17 |
| Mixed | 3 |
| Total | 69 |
About the Tentative List
Both sites were part of the seven natural properties added to the list; the full list now has 49 cultural, 17 natural and 3 mixed sites.
Exam angle
- The Eparchaean Unconformity marks rocks over 2.5 billion years old meeting younger Proterozoic formations.
- Erra Matti Dibbalu was declared a geo-heritage monument by the Geological Survey of India in 2016.