The site is located near the Hajar Mountains and Rub al Khali. 


The UAE is home to world-class, headline-making and record-breaking attractions. Now, the country has welcomed a new UNESCO World Heritage Site, Faya Palaeolandscape. 

Faya Palaeolandscape marks the second UNESCO World Heritage Site in the UAE. Located near the Hajar Mountains, between Sharjah and Rub al Khali. The area reveals a prehistoric corridor that dates back more than 210,000 years.

Faya Palaeolandscape

Archaeologists have uncovered stone tools, which date back to the Middle East’s earliest evidence of modern homo sapiens survival outside of Africa. The Faya Palaeolandscape has become a reference point in palaeoanthropology and archaeology, helping to place the UAE at the centre of global research.  

Eisa Yousif, Director General of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority, explained: “Its archaeological record – spanning more than 210,000 years – reveals unprecedented insights into toolmaking, burial practices, and shifting lifestyles in response to climatic extremes. 

Faya Palaeolandscape

“Faya challenges long-held assumptions and affirms that the Arabian Peninsula was not merely a corridor, but a cradle of human evolution in its own right. It demonstrates that early societies did not just pass through this region – they thrived here, innovated, and laid cultural and social foundations that deepen our understanding of human resilience.” 

The UAE’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site was Al Ain’s Cultural Sites. This marked the first desert palaeolandscape in the world to receive the honour. There are currently 96 UNESCO World Heritage Sites inscribed across the Arab States region, spanning a total of 18 different countries.

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GO: Visit https://whc.unesco.org for more information.