Everglades National Park. 04/06/87; Florida; 610,497 ha; 25°00'N 080°55'W. Added to the Montreux Record, 16 June 1993. World Heritage Site, Biosphere Reserve; National Park, Wilderness Area. A vast, shallow drainage basin consisting of two very broad zones. The first consists of large areas of freshwater and wet prairies, characterized by islands of tropical hardwood trees. The second is dominated by saltmarshes, mangrove forests, beach and dune complexes and brackish water estuaries. This area is extremely important for nesting, staging and wintering birds, and supports a rich flora and several threatened and endangered species of flora and fauna. Over one thousand species of seed-bearing plants and 120 both tropical and temperate trees (60 of which are endemic) occur. The Everglades play an extremely important role in domestic, industrial and agricultural water supply, flood protection, and fishery support and is of prime importance in North America for conservation education and outdoor recreation. After years of give and take with sugar growers, serious efforts are being made to restore the natural water flow. Ramsar site no. 374. Most recent RIS information: 2005.