The W-Arly-Pendjari Complex is a transnational heritage site shared between the Republic of Niger, Burkina Faso, and the Republic of Benin in West Africa. Located in the transition zone between the savannas of the Sudano-Sahalian region and the forested Guinean region, the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex is situated within the Volta River basin. The property is a ‘contiguous mosaic of nine protected areas. It includes the trinational complex of W Regional Park (shared between Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger), Arly National Park (Burkina Faso), Pendjari National Park (Benin) and the hunting zones of Koakrana and Kourtiagou (Burkina Faso) and Konkombri and Mékrou (Benin). Forest of Bondjagou is within the Pendjari National Park.

Name W-Arly refers to the Arilo people who were considered as the ‘Missionary Soldiers’ of the ancient world; they were drawn from various regions and their settlements were named after their social identity as ‘ksheta-jodha’ means the ‘brave soldiers of the land’. Various name-forms are observed like Urali, Aral, Worli Arisala, and Ural; Arisala refers to a ‘title’ which means ‘preying on the enemy’. W-Arly-Pendjari means the missionary soldiers of the Pandra or the Paundra-vardhan region. Pandra was name of a tribe as well as name of a place. it identifies the region of White Land Lotuses(Sthala-padmas).

Sudano—Sidian/Sada Nagar

Sahalian—Sahana and Tanais

Volta River—Vitasta/Balkhiya River

Benin—Benu

Burkina Faso—Region of the Bacchus

Niger—Negev or Naga or the Serpent Plain

Pendjari—Pandra

Koakrana—Konkana/Kankana/Kanchana/Kakuchandra

Kourtiagou—Kuti or Koti-gaon

Konkombri—Kanaka-Omba

Mékrou (Benin)—Markana/Markanda

Bondjagou—Bandhula-gaon/Bhanda-goan