ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park
| ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park | |
|---|---|
Fish River Canyon | |
Location of the park | |
| Location | ǁKaras Region Namibia Northern Cape South Africa |
| Nearest city | Rosh Pinah, Namibia Alexander Bay, South Africa |
| Coordinates | 28°03′14″S 17°02′05″E / 28.05389°S 17.03472°E |
| Area | 6,045 km2 (2,334 sq mi) |
| Established | 2003 |
| Named for | ǀAi-ǀAis Hot Springs Richtersveld |
| Governing body | Ministry of Environment and Tourism (Namibia) South African National Parks |
| www | |
The ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is a peace park straddling the border between South Africa and Namibia. It was formed in 2003 by combining the Namibian ǀAi-ǀAis Hot Springs Game Park and the South African Richtersveld National Park. Most of the South African part of the park forms part of the buffer zone of the Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape World Heritage Site, which measures 5,920 square kilometres (2,290 sq mi). The Fish River Canyon, the largest canyon in Africa, is located in the park. A memorandum of understanding was signed on 17 August 2003 by the presidents of South Africa and Namibia, which formalised the establishment of the park. |Ai-|Ais is Khoekhoe for fire-fire, meaning 'hot as fire' or 'scalding hot', after the hot springs of the same name.
The Sendelingsdrift tourist facilities were opened in 2007 to enable tourists and locals to travel between Namibia and South Africa within the boundaries of the park. Immigration offices were set up on both sides of the Orange River. It is also known for being a biodiversity hotspot, which means it is under constant threat from human encroachment.