Brazil's Paraty named new UNESCO World Heritage Site

Brasilia: The Brazilian colonial port town of Paraty and the nearby region of Ilha Grande was recently chosen as a new World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

UNESCO heritage sites can be either natural, cultural or mixed sites. Due to the cultural and natural value of the area, Paraty and Ilha Grande were chosen as a mixed culture and biodiversity site, the first in Brazil.

"Located between the Serra da Bocaina mountain range and the Atlantic Ocean, this cultural landscape includes the historic centre of Paraty, one of Brazil's best-preserved coastal towns, as well as four protected natural areas of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, one of the world's five key biodiversity hotspots," UNESCO said in a statement.

Paraty is an old port town dating back to the 18th century, with its 18th and 19th century architecture. Gold from the neighbouring state of Minas Gerais used to be shipped from there to Europe.

Paraty is currently popular with tourists and hosts one of the largest literary festivals in Brazil.

According to UNESCO, the area is home to "an impressive diversity of species, some of which are threatened, such as the jaguar, the white-lipped peccary and several primate species, including the woolly spider monkey, which are emblematic of the site."