Kakadu National Park

Kakadu National Park

Country:
Australia
Site number:
204
Area:
1,911,122.0 ha
Designation date:
12-06-1980
Coordinates:
13°00'18"S 132°31'11"E
  • Plumed whistling ducks at Yellow Water, Kakadu National Park
  • Water lilies at Yellow Water Billabong, Kakadu National Park
  • Yellow Water, Kakadu National Park
  • Yellow Water, Kakadu National Park
  • Kakadu National Park
  • Yellow Waters, Kakadu National Park Ramsar Site

Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.


The Site is a vast National Park, encompassing an exceptional diversity of wetlands, with as many as 17 wetland types, including mudflats, intertidal forested wetlands, mangrove areas, swamp forests, rivers and creeks, and permanent freshwater springs. This diversity of habitats supports an extraordinary number of species, including nearly 2,000 plants, more than one-third of Australia's birds (271 species), approximately one-quarter of its land mammals (77 species), 60 fish species, and over 130 reptiles and 27 frog species. The wide variety of aquatic habitats, ranging from turbid river systems to shallow inshore waters, supports species with different ecological needs, from river sharks adapted to sediment-rich waters to numerous fish species that rely on the Site for spawning and nursery grounds. As well as supporting many characteristic Australian species, the Site is also home to unique biodiversity, including regional endemics such as the endangered Kakadu goby (Egglestonichthys ulbubunitj), the Jabiru toadlet (Uperoleia arenicola), the Arnhem land bamboo (Bambusa arnhemica), and the yellow chat subspecies, Epthianura crocea tunneyi. The Site’s cultural heritage is equally significant, with its long association with the Aboriginal people of the region recognized through its World Heritage listing. Ancient rock paintings and archaeological sites found within the Site reflect thousands of years of human history. Together, its remarkable wildlife, landscapes, and cultural heritage make the Site a significant tourism destination. Invasive species pose an ongoing threat, and continuous management interventions are implemented to control their impacts.

Administrative region: Northern Territory

Global international designation:
  • World Heritage site
National legal designation:
  • National Park - Kakadu National Park
Last publication date: 20-07-2026
Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)
Archived RIS
Site map
Additional reports and documents