World Heritage Site: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Place of significance listed by UNESCO}}

A '''[[UNESCO]] World Heritage Site''' is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain range, lake, desert, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated for the international [[World heritage]] program.

{{Good article}}

{{Use British English Oxford spelling|date=December 2018}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{for|the list of designated locations|lists of World Heritage Sites}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = <!-- defaults to {{PAGENAME}}, if not provided -->

| full_name =

| native_name = <!-- organization's name in its local language -->

| native_name_lang = <!-- required ISO 639-1 code of the above native language -->

| logo = World Heritage Logo global.svg{{!}}class=skin-invert

| logo_size = 200px

| logo_alt =

| logo_caption = The World Heritage emblem, used to identify properties protected by the World Heritage Convention

| image =

| image_size =

| alt = <!-- see [[WP:ALT]] -->

| caption =

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| founding_location =[[Galápagos Islands]]

| dissolved = <!-- or |defunct = --><!-- use {{end date and age|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->

| merger = <!-- other organizations (if any) merged with, to constitute the new organization -->

| type =UNESCO Landmarks and areas legal protection and sites listing agency

| tax_id = <!-- or |vat_id = (for European organizations) -->

| registration_id = <!-- for non-profits -->

| status = <!-- legal status or description (company, charity, foundation, etc.) -->

| purpose =UNESCO landmarks and areas protection

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'''World Heritage Sites''' are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an [[treaty|international treaty]] administered by [[UNESCO]] for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity".<ref name="about" />

To be selected, a World Heritage Site is nominated by its host country and determined by the UNESCO's [[World Heritage Committee]] to be a unique landmark which is geographically and historically identifiable, having a special cultural or physical significance, and to be under a sufficient system of legal protection. World Heritage Sites might be ancient ruins or historical structures, buildings, cities,{{efn|In 1978, two entire cities were declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites: first [[Quito]] in Ecuador, and later [[Kraków]] in Poland.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Katia |last1=Hetter |title=Exploring the world's first 12 heritage sites |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/unesco-first-12-world-heritage-sites/index.html |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=16 June 2014 |access-date=22 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526195934/https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/unesco-first-12-world-heritage-sites/index.html |archive-date=26 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/&order=year |title=World Heritage List (ordered by year) |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=25 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526200147/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/%26order%3Dyear |archive-date=26 May 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>}} deserts, forests, islands, lakes, monuments, mountains or wilderness areas, and others.<ref>{{cite journal |first1=Ann Marie |last1=Sullivan |title=Cultural Heritage & New Media: A Future for the Past |journal=[[John Marshall Review of Intellectual Property Law]] |url=https://repository.jmls.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1392&context=ripl |via=UIC Law Open Access Repository |volume=15 |pages=604–46 |year=2016 |access-date=11 April 2018 |archive-date=5 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405095657/https://repository.jmls.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1392&context=ripl |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1111/cobi.12976 |pmid=28664996 |title=Gaps and opportunities for the World Heritage Convention to contribute to global wilderness conservation |journal=[[Conservation Biology (journal)|Conservation Biology]] |volume=32 |issue=1 |pages=116–126 |year=2018 |last1=Allan |first1=James R. |last2=Kormos |first2=Cyril |last3=Jaeger |first3=Tilman |last4=Venter |first4=Oscar |last5=Bertzky |first5=Bastian |last6=Shi |first6=Yichuan |last7=MacKey |first7=Brendan |last8=Van Merm |first8=Remco |last9=Osipova |first9=Elena |last10=Watson |first10=James E.M.|bibcode=2018ConBi..32..116A |s2cid=28944427}}</ref>

This aims to catalogue, name, and preserve sites of outstanding importance, either cultural or natural, to the common heritage of humankind. [http://whc.unesco.org/criteria.htm#debut exact criteria]

A World Heritage Site may signify a remarkable accomplishment of humankind and serve as evidence of humanity's intellectual history on the planet, or it might be a place of great natural beauty.<ref name="SelectionCriteria" /> As of July 2025, a total of 1,248 World Heritage Sites exist across [[World Heritage Sites by country|170 countries]].<ref name="WHList" />

To date, some 730 sites have been included in the list.

The sites are intended for practical conservation for posterity, which otherwise would be subject to risk from human or animal trespassing, unmonitored, uncontrolled or unrestricted access, or threat from local administrative negligence. Sites are demarcated by UNESCO as protected zones.<ref name="about">{{cite web |title=World Heritage |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/about/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705131353/https://whc.unesco.org/en/about/ |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |archive-date=5 July 2020}}</ref> The [[Lists of World Heritage Sites|World Heritage Sites list]] is maintained by the international World Heritage Program administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 "states parties" that are elected by the [[United Nations General Assembly]], and advised by reviews of international panels of experts in natural or cultural history, and education.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/comittee/ |title=The World Heritage Committee |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=14 October 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705131510/https://whc.unesco.org/en/committee/ |archive-date=5 July 2020}}</ref>

List of World Heritage Sites:

The Program catalogues, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common culture and heritage of humankind. The programme began with the [[Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/archive/convention-en.pdf |title=Convention Concerning the Protection of World's Cultural and Natural Heritage |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705131631/https://whc.unesco.org/archive/convention-en.pdf |archive-date=5 July 2020 |access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref> which was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November 1972. Since then, 196 states have ratified the convention,<ref name="unesco">{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties|publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|title=States Parties – UNESCO World Heritage Centre|access-date=1 November 2024|archive-date=31 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111031142628/http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties|url-status=live}}</ref> making it one of the most widely recognised international agreements and the world's most popular cultural programme.{{sfn|Edmondson|Jordan|Prodan|2020|p=144}}

[[Afghanistan]]

* [[Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam]]

[[Albania]]

* [[Butrint]]

[[Algeria]]

* [[Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad]]

* [[Dj&eacute;mila]]

* Kasbah of [[Algiers]]

* [[M'Zab Valley]]

* [[Tassili n'Ajjer]]

* [[Timgad]]

* [[Tipasa]]

[[Argentina]]

* [[Cueva de las Manos]], [[Rio Pinturas]]

* [[Iguacu|Iguazu]] National Park

* [[Ischigualasto National Park|Ischigualasto]] / [[Talampaya Natural Park]]s

* Jesuit Block and Estancias of [[Cordoba, Argentina|Cordoba]]

* [[Los Glaciares]]

* [[Peninsula Valdes]]

[[Armenia]]

* Cathedral and Churches of [[Echmiatsin]] and the Archaeological Site of [[Zvartnots]]

* Monasteries of [[Haghpat]] and [[Sanahin]]

* Monastery of [[Geghard]] and the Upper [[Azat Valley]]

[[Australia]]

* Australian Fossil Mammal Sites ([[Riversleigh]]/[[Naracoorte]])

* [[Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves]] (Australia)

* [[Fraser Island]]

* [[Great Barrier Reef]]

* [[Greater Blue Mountains Area]]

* [[Heard and McDonald Islands]]

* [[Kakadu National Park]]

* [[Lord Howe Island Group]]

* [[Macquarie Island]]

* [[Shark Bay]], [[Western Australia]]

* [[Tasmania]]n Wilderness

* [[Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park]]

* Wet Tropics of [[Queensland]]

* [[Willandra Lakes]] Region

[[Austria]]

* City of [[Graz]]; Historic Centre

* [[Hallstatt-Dachstein]] [[Salzkammergut]] Cultural Landscape

* Historic Centre of [[Vienna]]

* Historic Centre of the City of [[Salzburg]]

* Palace and Gardens of [[Schoenbrunn]]

* [[Semmering Railway]]

* [[Wachau]] Cultural Landscape

[[Austria]] and [[Hungary]]

* Cultural Landscape of Fertö/[[Neusiedlersee]]

[[Azerbaijan]]

* Walled City of [[Baku]] with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower

[[Bangladesh]]

* Historic Mosque City of [[Bagerhat]]

* Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at [[Paharpur]]

* The [[Sundarbans]]

[[Belarus]]

* [[Mir Castle Complex]]

[[Belarus]] / [[Poland]]

* Belovezhskaya Pushcha/[[Bialowieza Forest]]

==History==

[[Belgium]]

===Origin===

[[File:World Heritage plaque at Þingvellir National Park.jpg|thumb|UNESCO World Heritage plaque at [[Þingvellir]] in [[Iceland]]]]

[[File:تابلو میراث جهانی یونسکو تخت سلیمان.jpg|thumb|UNESCO World Heritage plaque at [[Takht-e Soleymān]] in [[Iran]]]]

[[File:Number of UNESCO sites registered per year for each continent.svg|alt=The graph represents the amount of UNESCO sites inscribed on the World Heritage List each year for each continent. You can see that in 2000 there was a general increase in the enrollments in the list of UNESCO sites|thumb|A graph representing the number of UNESCO sites inscribed on the World Heritage List each year for each continent<ref name="WHList" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Countries - The World Factbook |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/ |access-date=13 October 2023|website=Central Intelligence Agency |language=en |archive-date=30 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220730065051/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/ |url-status=live }}</ref>]]

In 1954, the government of [[Egypt]] decided to build the new [[Aswan Dam|Aswan High Dam]], whose resulting future reservoir would eventually [[Flood|inundate]] a large stretch of the [[Nile]] valley containing cultural treasures of [[ancient Egypt]] and ancient [[Nubia]]. In 1959, the governments of Egypt and [[Sudan]] requested the [[UNESCO|United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization]] (UNESCO) to assist them to protect and rescue the endangered monuments and sites.

In 1960, the Director-General of UNESCO launched the [[International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/activities/172/ |title=Monuments of Nubia-International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705131757/https://whc.unesco.org/en/activities/172/ |archive-date=5 July 2020 |access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref> This resulted in the excavation and recording of hundreds of sites, the recovery of thousands of objects, as well as the salvage and relocation to higher ground of several important temples. The most famous of these are the temple complexes of [[Abu Simbel temples|Abu Simbel]] and [[Philae]]. The campaign ended in 1980 and was considered a success. To thank countries which especially contributed to the campaign's success, Egypt donated four temples; the [[Temple of Dendur]] was moved to the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] in [[New York City]], the [[Temple of Debod]] to the [[Parque del Oeste]] in [[Madrid]], the [[Temple of Taffeh]] to the [[Rijksmuseum van Oudheden]] in [[Leiden]], and the [[Temple of Ellesyia]] to [[Museo Egizio]] in [[Turin]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/activities/173/ |title=The Rescue of Nubian Monuments and Sites |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705131914/https://whc.unesco.org/en/activities/173/ |archive-date=5 July 2020 |access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref>[[File:Placa conmemorativa de la inscripción en la Lista del Patrimonio Mundial del Parque Nacional de Doñana.jpg|thumb|UNESCO World Heritage plaque at [[Doñana National Park]] in [[Andalusia|Andalucía]], Spain]]The project cost US$80&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|80|1980|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|US}}), about $40&nbsp;million of which was collected from 50 countries.<ref name="WHC-history">{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/convention/ |title=The World Heritage Convention – Brief History / Section "Preserving cultural heritage" |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=17 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526200434/https://whc.unesco.org/en/convention/ |archive-date=26 May 2020}}</ref> The project's success led to other safeguarding campaigns, such as saving [[Venice]] and [[Venetian Lagoon|its lagoon]] in Italy, the ruins of [[Mohenjo-daro]] in Pakistan, and the [[Borobodur]] Temple Compounds in Indonesia. Together with the [[International Council on Monuments and Sites]], UNESCO then initiated a draft convention to protect cultural heritage.<ref name="WHC-history"/>

* Belfries of [[Flanders]] and [[Wallonia]]

* [[Flemish B&eacute;guinages]]

* Grand-Place, [[Brussels]]

* Historic Centre of [[Bruges, Belgium|Brugge]]

* Major Town Houses of the Architect [[Victor Horta]] (Brussels)

* Neolithic Flint Mines at [[Spiennes]] (Mons)

* Notre-Dame Cathedral in [[Tournai]]

* The Four Lifts on the [[Canal du Centre]] and their Environs, La Louvi&egrave;re and Le Roeulx (Hainault)

===Convention and background===

[[Belize]]

{{main|World Heritage Convention}}

The convention (the signed document of [[treaty|international agreement]]) guiding the work of the [[World Heritage Committee]] was developed over a seven-year period (1965–1972).

The United States initiated the idea of safeguarding places of high cultural or natural importance. A [[White House]] conference in 1965 called for a "World Heritage Trust" to preserve "the world's superb natural and scenic areas and historic sites for the present and the future of the entire world citizenry". The [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] developed similar proposals in 1968, which were presented in 1972 at the [[United Nations Conference on the Human Environment]] in Stockholm.<ref name="convention1"/> Under the World Heritage Committee, signatory countries are required to produce and submit periodic [[data reporting]] providing the committee with an overview of each participating nation's implementation of the World Heritage Convention and a "snapshot" of current conditions at World Heritage properties.{{Cn|date=August 2021}}

Based on the draft convention that UNESCO had initiated, a single text was eventually agreed upon by all parties, and the [[Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage]] was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November 1972.<ref name="convention1">{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/convention/ |title=The World Heritage Convention – Brief History / Section "Linking the protection of cultural and natural heritage" |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=17 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526200434/https://whc.unesco.org/en/convention/ |archive-date=26 May 2020}}</ref> The convention came into force on 17 December 1975. As of November 2024, it has been ratified by 196 states: 192 [[Member states of the United Nations|UN member states]], two [[United Nations General Assembly observers#Non-member observers|UN observer states]] (the [[Holy See]] and the [[State of Palestine]]), and two [[Associated state|states in free association]] with [[New Zealand]] (the [[Cook Islands]] and [[Niue]]). Only one UN member state, [[Liechtenstein]], has not ratified the convention.<ref name="unesco" />

* [[Belize Barrier Reef]] Reserve System

[[Benin]]

* Royal Palaces of [[Abomey]]

==Objectives==

[[Bermuda]]

By assigning places as World Heritage Sites, UNESCO wants to help preserve them for future generations. Its motivation is that "heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today" and that both cultural and natural heritage are "irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration".<ref name="about" /> UNESCO's mission with respect to World Heritage consists of eight sub targets. These include encouraging the commitment of countries and local population to World Heritage conservation in various ways, providing emergency assistance for sites in danger, offering technical assistance and professional training, and supporting States Parties' public awareness-building activities.<ref name="about" />

* [[Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda]]

Being listed as a World Heritage Site can positively affect the site, its environment, and interactions between them. A listed site gains international recognition and legal protection, and can obtain funds from, among others, the World Heritage Fund to facilitate its conservation under certain conditions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/funding/ |title=Funding |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=30 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530074900/https://whc.unesco.org/en/funding/ |archive-date=30 May 2020}}</ref> UNESCO reckons the restorations of the following four sites among its success stories: [[Angkor]] in Cambodia, the Old City of [[Dubrovnik]] in Croatia, the [[Wieliczka Salt Mine]] near Kraków in Poland, and the [[Ngorongoro Conservation Area]] in Tanzania.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/107/#successful |title=Success stories – successful restorations |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=30 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530085037/https://whc.unesco.org/en/107/ |archive-date=30 May 2020}}</ref> Additionally, the local population around a site may benefit from significantly increased tourism revenue.<ref name="Maurel" /> When there are significant interactions between people and the natural environment, these can be recognised as "cultural landscapes".{{efn|This type of recognition exists since 1992.<ref name="SelectionCriteria"/>}}

[[Bolivia]]

* City of [[Potosi]]

* [[Fuerte de Samaipata]]

* Historic City of [[Sucre]]

* Jesuit Missions of the [[Chiquitos]]

* [[Noel Kempff Mercado National Park]]

* [[Tiwanaku]]: Spiritual and Political Centre of the [[Tiwanaku Culture]]

==Nomination process==

[[Botswana]]

A country must first identify its significant cultural and natural sites in a document known as the Tentative List. Next, it can place sites selected from that list into a Nomination File, which is evaluated by the [[International Council on Monuments and Sites]] and the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature|World Conservation Union]]. A country may not nominate sites that have not been first included on its Tentative List. The two international bodies make recommendations to the World Heritage Committee for new designations. The Committee meets once a year to determine which nominated properties to add to the World Heritage List; sometimes it defers its decision or requests more information from the country that nominated the site. There are ten selection criteria – a site must meet at least one to be included on the list.<ref name="WHS Guidelines">{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/guidelines/ |title=The Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=10 July 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170714073431/https://whc.unesco.org/en/guidelines/ |archive-date=14 July 2017}}</ref>

* [[Tsodilo]]

==Selection criteria==

[[Brazil]]

Until 2004, there were six sets of criteria for cultural heritage and four for natural heritage. In 2005, UNESCO modified these and now has one set of ten criteria. Nominated sites must be of "outstanding universal value" and must meet at least one of the ten criteria.<ref name="SelectionCriteria">{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/criteria/ |title=Criteria for Selection |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=14 October 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160612152223/https://whc.unesco.org/en/criteria/ |archive-date=12 June 2016}}</ref>

===Cultural===

* [[Atlantic Forest Southeast Reserves]]

[[File:Taj Mahal, Agra, UP, India.jpg|thumb|Site No. 252: [[Taj Mahal]] in [[India]], an example of a cultural heritage site|alt=Site No. 252: The Taj Mahal, an example of a World Heritage Site]]

* [[Brasilia]]

<ol type="i" start="1">

* Brazilian Atlantic Islands: [[Fernando de Noronha]] and [[Atol das Rocas]] Reserves

<li>"To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius"</li>

* Cerrado Protected Areas: [[Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park|Chapada dos Veadeiros]] and [[Emas National Park]]s

<li>"To exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design"</li>

* [[Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves]]

<li>"To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living, or which has disappeared"</li>

* Historic Centre of [[Sao Luis]]

<li>"To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history"</li>

* Historic Centre of [[Salvador]] de Bahia

<li>"To be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change"</li>

* Historic Centre of the Town of [[Diamantina]]

<li>"To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance"{{efn|The World Heritage Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria.<ref name="SelectionCriteria"/>}}</li>

* Historic Centre of the Town of [[Goias]]

</ol>

* Historic Centre of the Town of [[Olinda]]

* Historic Town of [[Ouro Preto]]

* [[Iguacu]] National Park

* [[Jau National Park]]

* [[Pantanal]] Conservation Area

* Sanctuary of [[Bom Jesus do Congonhas]]

* [[Serra da Capivara National Park]]

[[Bulgaria]]

* Ancient City of [[Nessebar]]

* [[Boyana Church]]

* [[Madara Rider]]

* [[Pirin National Park]]

* [[Rila Monastery]]

* Rock-hewn Churches of [[Ivanovo]]

* [[Srebarna Nature Reserve]]

* Thracian tomb of [[Kazanlak]]

* Thracian tomb of [[Sveshtari]]

===Natural===

[[Cambodia]]

[[File:Zerbras drinking.jpg|thumb|Site No. 156: [[Serengeti National Park]] in [[Tanzania]], a natural heritage site]]

* [[Angkor]]

[[File:Lince Ibérico Doñana.jpg|thumb|Site No. 685: [[Doñana National Park]] in [[Spain]], where many [[Iberian lynx]]es live

[[Cameroon]]

]]

* [[Dja Faunal Reserve]]

[[File:80 - Machu Picchu - Juin 2009 - edit.2.jpg|thumb|Site No. 274: [[Machu Picchu|Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu]] in Peru, an example of a mixed (natural and cultural) heritage site]]

[[Canada]]

<ol type="i" start="7">

* [[Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks]]

<li>"To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance"</li>

* [[Dinosaur Provincial Park]]

<li>"To be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features"</li>

* [[Gros Morne National Park]]

<li>"To be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals"</li>

* [[Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump]]

<li>"To contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation"</li><ref name="SelectionCriteria"/>

* [[Historic District of Qu&eacute;bec]]

</ol>

* [[L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site]]

* [[Miguasha Park]]

* [[Nahanni National Park]]

* [[Old Town Lunenburg]]

* [[SGaang Gwaii (Anthony Island)]]

* [[Wood Buffalo National Park]]

[[Canada]] and the [[United States of America]]

* [[Kluane/Wrangell-St. Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek]]

* [[Waterton Glacier International Peace Park]]

[[Central African Republic]]

* [[Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park]]

[[Chile]]

* [[Churches of Chilo&eacute;]]

* [[Rapa Nui National Park]]

==Extensions and other modifications==

[[China]]

A country may request to extend or reduce the boundaries, modify the official name, or change the selection criteria of one of its already listed sites. Any proposal for a significant boundary change or to modify the site's selection criteria must be submitted as if it were a new nomination, including first placing it on the Tentative List and then onto the Nomination File.<ref name="WHS Guidelines"/>

A request for a minor boundary change, one that does not have a significant impact on the extent of the property or affect its "outstanding universal value", is also evaluated by the advisory bodies before being sent to the committee. Such proposals can be rejected by either the advisory bodies or the Committee if they judge it to be a significant change instead of a minor one.<ref name="WHS Guidelines"/> Proposals to change a site's official name are sent directly to the committee.<ref name="WHS Guidelines"/>

* The [[Great Wall of China|Great Wall]] (1987)

* [[Mount Taishan]] (1987)

* [[Forbidden City|Imperial Palace]] of the [[Ming Dynasty|Ming]] and [[Qing Dynasty|Qing]] Dynasties (1987)

* [[Mogao Caves]] (1987)

* Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (1987)

* Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian (1987)

* [[Mount Huangshan]] (1990)

* [[Jiuzhaigou Valley]] Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)

* [[Huanglong]] Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)

* [[Wulingyuan]] Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)

* Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, [[Chengde]] (1994)

* Temple and Cemetery of [[Confucius]], and the Kong Family Mansion in [[Qufu]] (1994)

* Ancient Building Complex in the [[Wudang Mountains]] (1994)

* Historic Ensemble of the [[Potala Palace]], [[Lhasa]] (1994, 2000, 2001)

* [[Lushan National Park]] (1996)

* [[Mount Emei]] Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area (1996)

* Old Town of [[Lijiang]] (1997)

* Ancient City of [[Ping Yao]] (1997)

* Classical Gardens of [[Suzhou]] (1997, 2000)

* [[Summer Palace]], an Imperial Garden in [[Beijing]] (1998)

* [[The Temple of Heaven|Temple of Heaven]]: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing (1998)

* [[Mount Wuyi]] (1999)

* [[Dazu]] Rock Carvings (1999)

* [[Mount Qincheng]] and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (2000)

* Ancient Villages in Southern [[Anhui]] - [[Xidi]] and [[Hongcun]] (2000)

* [[Longmen Grottoes]] (2000)

* Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (2000)

* [[Yungang Grottoes]] (2001)

==Endangerment==

[[Colombia]]

{{main|List of World Heritage in Danger|Former UNESCO World Heritage Sites}}

* [[Historic Centre of Santa Cruz de Mompox]]

[[File:Paisaje_en_Punta_Pitt,_isla_de_San_Cristóbal,_islas_Galápagos,_Ecuador,_2015-07-24,_DD_75.JPG|thumb|Site No. 1, the [[Galápagos Islands]] in the [[Pacific Ocean]] off the coast of [[South America]], had its boundaries extended in 2001 and 2003, and was included on the danger list from 2007 to 2010.]]

* [[Los Katios National Park]]

A site may be added to the [[List of World Heritage in Danger]] if conditions threaten the characteristics for which the landmark or area was inscribed on the World Heritage List. Such problems may involve armed conflict and war, natural disasters, pollution, poaching, or uncontrolled urbanisation or human development. This danger list is intended to increase international awareness of the threats and to encourage counteractive measures. Threats to a site can be either proven imminent threats or potential dangers that could have adverse effects on a site.<ref name="UNESCO-WHinDanger">{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/158/ |title=World Heritage in Danger |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=10 July 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705132146/https://whc.unesco.org/en/158/ |archive-date=5 July 2020}}</ref>

* [[National Archaeological Park of Tierradentro]]

* [[Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena]]

* [[San Agust&iacute;n Archaeological Park]]

[[Costa Rica]]

* [[Area de Conservaci&oacute;n Guanacaste]]

* [[Cocos Island National Park]]

[[Costa Rica]]/[[Panama]]

* [[Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves/ La Amistad National Park]]

[[Cote d'Ivoire]]

* [[Como&eacute; National Park]]

* [[Ta&iuml; National Park]]

[[Croatia]]

* [[Cathedral of St. James in &#138;ibenik]]

* [[Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the Historic Centre of Porec]]

* [[Historic City of Trogir]]

* [[Historic Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian]]

* Old City of [[Dubrovnik]]

* [[Plitvice Lakes National Park]]

[[Cuba]]

* [[Alejandro de Humboldt National Park]]

* [[Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee Plantations in the Southeast of Cuba]]

* [[Desembarco del Granma National Park]]

* [[Old Havana and its Fortifications]]

* [[San Pedro de la Roca Castle, Santiago de Cuba]]

* [[Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios]]

* [[Vi&ntilde;ales Valley]]

[[Cyprus]]

* [[Choirokoitia]]

* [[Painted Churches in the Troodos Region]]

* [[Paphos]]

[[Czech Republic]]

* [[Gardens and Castle at Kromer&iacute;z]]

* [[Historic Centre of Cesk&yacute; Krumlov]]

* [[Historic Centre of Prague]]

* [[Historic Centre of Telc]]

* [[Hola&#154;ovice Historical Village Reservation]]

* [[Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc]]

* [[Kutn&aacute; Hora: Historical Town Centre with the Church of Saint Barbara and the Cathedral of our Lady at Sedlec]]

* [[Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape]]

* [[Litomy&#154;l Castle]]

* [[Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk at Zelena Hora]]

* [[Tugendhat Villa in Brno]]

[[Democratic Republic of the Congo]]

* [[Garamba National Park]]

* [[Kahuzi-Biega National Park]]

* [[Okapi Wildlife Reserve]]

* [[Salonga National Park]]

* [[Virunga National Park]]

[[Denmark]]

* [[Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church]]

* [[Kronborg Castle]]

* [[Roskilde Cathedral]]

[[Dominica]]

* [[Morne Trois Pitons National Park]]

[[Dominican Republic]]

* [[Colonial City of Santo Domingo]]

[[Ecuador]]

* [[City of Quito]]

* [[Gal&aacute;pagos Islands]]

* [[Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los R&iacute;os de Cuenca]]

* [[Sangay National Park]]

[[Egypt]]

* [[Abu Mena]]

* [[Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis]]

* [[Islamic Cairo]]

* [[Memphis and its Necropolis - the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur]]

* [[Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae]]

* [[Saint Catherine Area]]

[[El Salvador]]

* [[Joya de Ceren Archaeological Site]]

[[Estonia]]

* [[Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn]]

[[Ethiopia]]

* [[Aksum]]

* [[Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region]]

* [[Lower Valley of the Awash]]

* [[Lower Valley of the Omo]]

* [[Rock-hewn Churches, Lalibela]]

* [[Simien National Park]]

* [[Tiya]]

[[Finland]]

* [[Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenm&auml;ki]]

* [[Fortress of Suomenlinna]]

* [[Ohrid Region with its Cultural and Historic Aspect and its Natural Environment]]

* [[Old Rauma]]

* [[Pet&auml;j&auml;vesi Old Church]]

* [[Verla Groundwood and Board Mill]]

The state of conservation for each site on the danger list is reviewed yearly; after this, the Committee may request additional measures, delete the property from the danger list if the threats have ceased, or consider deletion from the World Heritage List entirely if the site's integrity no longer exists or has fallen out of local protection.<ref name="WHS Guidelines"/> Only three sites have ever been [[Former UNESCO World Heritage sites|delisted]]: the [[Arabian Oryx Sanctuary]] in Oman, the [[Dresden Elbe Valley]] in Germany, and the [[Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City]] in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=World Heritage List |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/?components=1&order=country&delisted=1 |access-date=2025-07-17 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en}}</ref>

[[France]]

The Arabian Oryx Sanctuary was directly delisted in 2007, instead of first being put on the danger list, after the Omani government decided to reduce the protected area's size by 90%.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/362 |title=Oman's Arabian Oryx Sanctuary : first site ever to be deleted from UNESCO's World Heritage List |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |date=28 June 2007 |access-date=10 July 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705132243/https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/362 |archive-date=5 July 2020}}</ref> The Dresden Elbe Valley was first placed on the danger list in 2006 when the World Heritage Committee decided that plans to construct the [[Waldschlösschen Bridge]] would significantly alter the valley's landscape. In response, the Dresden City Council attempted to stop the bridge's construction. However, after several court decisions allowed the building of the bridge to proceed, the valley was removed from the World Heritage List in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/522 |title=Dresden is deleted from UNESCO's World Heritage List |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |date=25 June 2009 |access-date=10 July 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707003437/https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/522/ |archive-date=7 July 2017}}</ref> [[Liverpool]]'s World Heritage status was revoked in July 2021, following developments ([[Liverpool Waters]] and [[Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium]]) on the northern docks of the World Heritage site leading to the "irreversible loss of (historical) attributes" on the site.<ref>{{Cite news|date=21 July 2021|title=Liverpool stripped of Unesco World Heritage status|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-57879475|access-date=21 July 2021|archive-date=24 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724114406/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-57879475|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Josh Halliday |title=Unesco strips Liverpool of its world heritage status |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jul/21/unesco-strips-liverpool-waterfront-world-heritage-status |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=21 July 2021 |date=21 July 2021 |archive-date=21 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721095624/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jul/21/unesco-strips-liverpool-waterfront-world-heritage-status |url-status=live}}</ref>

*[[Mont-Saint-Michel]] and its Bay (1979)

*[[Chartres]] Cathedral (1979)

*[[Palace of Versailles|Palace]] and Park of [[Versailles]] (1979)

*[[Vézelay]], Church and Hill 1979)

*Decorated Grottoes of the [[Vézère Valley]] (1979)

*Palace and Park of [[Fontainebleau]] (1981)

*[[Amiens]] Cathedral (1981)

*Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the "Triumphal Arch" of [[Orange]] (1981)

*Roman and Romanesque Monuments of [[Arles]] (1981)

*Cistercian Abbey of [[Fontenay]] (1981)

*Royal Saltworks of [[Arc-et-Senans]] 1982)

*Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière, and Place d'Alliance in [[Nancy]] (1983)

*Church of [[Saint-Savin sur Gartempe]] (1983)

*[[Cape Girolata]], [[Cape Porto]], [[Scandola Nature Reserve]] and the [[Piana Calanches]] in [[Corsica]] (1983)

*[[Pont du Gard]] (Roman Aqueduct) (1985)

*[[Strasbourg]]-Grande île (1988)

*[[Paris]], Banks of the [[Seine]] (1991)

*Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-Remi and Palace of Tau, [[Reims]] (1991)

*[[Bourges]] Cathedral (1992)

*Historic Centre of [[Avignon]] (1995)

*[[Canal du Midi]] (1996)

*Historic Fortified City of [[Carcassonne]] (1997)

*Routes of [[Santiago de Compostela]] in France (1998)

*Historic Site of [[Lyon]] (1998)

*Jurisdiction of [[Saint-Emilion]] (1999)

*The [[Loire Valley]] between [[Sully-sur-Loire]] and [[Chalonnes]] (2000)

*[[Provins]], Town of Medieval Fairs (2001)

The first global assessment to quantitatively measure threats to Natural World Heritage Sites found that 63% of sites have been damaged by increasing human pressures including encroaching roads, agriculture infrastructure and settlements over the last two decades.<ref name=forestloss>{{Cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2016.12.011 |title=Recent increases in human pressure and forest loss threaten many Natural World Heritage Sites |journal=Biological Conservation |volume=206 |pages=47–55 |year=2017 |last1=Allan |first1=James R. |last2=Venter |first2=Oscar |last3=Maxwell |first3=Sean |last4=Bertzky |first4=Bastian |last5=Jones |first5=Kendall |last6=Shi |first6=Yichuan |last7=Watson |first7=James E.M. |bibcode=2017BCons.206...47A |url=https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:417883/UQ417883_OA.pdf |access-date=25 September 2019 |archive-date=8 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708103548/https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/data/UQ_417883/UQ417883_OA.pdf?Expires=1657276635&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJKNBJ4MJBJNC6NLQ&Signature=K3DKLyfyoRHC2vrhqCtu4JN8o559gQr8MaZLCii5BttnpyMK~c9OdnVK1IDaMtZHrVtOBC80XWg~di9KsY7NFXeV4~~tTNKRUNF4XcqLo1m1pH~7-cXM54A8snpJcuuSXQQYEULXBYVllUu6wbL80m8uL0VZT8TAnUZVyopKcn6qiqxMbIo4h0cfZNsCw2u64x6LeuIIHPnhAaQ9zg5xISrIQi~ZQXqiZsozaTQSIVRhIaWSZG0oKHB7WzKSYb5RU8OVkReMN5GWlymFCQ-rh8d2KxPrgtpHcyGENIPZrdbzkczWEa2QBoY~fwt4b6mHKiO~xMroh-056EU6zaUvYg__ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1038/ncomms12558 |pmid = 27552116 |pmc = 4996975 |title = Sixteen years of change in the global terrestrial human footprint and implications for biodiversity conservation |journal = [[Nature Communications]] |volume = 7 |article-number = 12558 |year = 2016 |last1 = Venter |first1 = Oscar |last2 = Sanderson |first2 = Eric W. |last3 = Magrach |first3 = Ainhoa |last4 = Allan |first4 = James R. |last5 = Beher |first5 = Jutta |last6 = Jones |first6 = Kendall R. |last7 = Possingham |first7 = Hugh P. |last8 = Laurance |first8 = William F. |last9 = Wood |first9 = Peter |last10 = Fekete |first10 = Balázs M. |last11 = Levy |first11 = Marc A. |last12 = Watson |first12 = James E. M. |bibcode = 2016NatCo...712558V}}</ref> These activities endanger Natural World Heritage Sites and could compromise their unique values. Of the Natural World Heritage Sites that contain forest, 91% experienced some loss since 2000. Many of them are more threatened than previously thought and require immediate conservation action.<ref name=forestloss/>

[[France]]/[[Spain]]

* [[Pyr&eacute;n&eacute;es - Mont Perdu]]

[[Georgia]]

* [[Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery]]

* [[City-Museum Reserve of Mtskheta]]

* [[Upper Svaneti]]

[[Germany]]

* [[Aachen Cathedral]]

* [[Abbey and Altenm&uuml;nster of Lorsch]]

* [[Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar and Dessau]]

* [[Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Br&uuml;hl]]

* [[Classical Weimar]]

* [[Collegiate Church, Castle, and old Town of Quedlinburg]]

* [[Cologne Cathedral]]

* [[Garden Kingdom of Dessau-W&ouml;rlitz]]

* [[Hanseatic City of L&uuml;beck]]

* [[Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar]]

* [[Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg]]

* [[Maulbronn Monastery Complex]]

* [[Messel Pit Fossil site]]

* [[Mines of Rammelsberg and Historic Town of Goslar]]

* [[Monastic Island of Reichenau]]

* [[Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin]]

* [[Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin]]

* [[Pilgrimage Church of Wies]]

* [[Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St. Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier]]

* [[Speyer Cathedral]]

* [[St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Michael's Church at Hildesheim]]

* [[Town of Bamberg]]

* [[Upper Middle Rhine Valley]]

* [[V&ouml;lklingen Ironworks]]

* [[W&uuml;rzburg Residence, with the Court Gardens and Residence Square]]

* [[Wartburg Castle]]

* [[Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen]]

[[Ghana]]

* [[Asante Traditional Buildings]]

* [[Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions]]

[[Greece]]

* [[Acropolis, Athens]]

* [[Archaeological Site of Delphi]]

* [[Archaeological Site of Epidaurus]]

* [[Archaeological Site of Olympia]]

* [[Archaeological Site of Vergina]]

* [[Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns]]

* [[Delos]]

* [[Historic Centre (Chor&aacute;) with the Monastery of Saint John "the Theologian" and the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of P&aacute;tmos]]

* [[Medieval City of Rhodes]]

* [[Meteora]]

* [[Monasteries of Daphni, Hossios Luckas and Nea Moni of Chios]]

* [[Mount Athos]]

* [[Mystras]]

* [[Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika]]

* [[Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos]]

* [[Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae]]

[[Guatemala]]

* [[Antigua Guatemala]]

* [[Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua]]

* [[Tikal National Park]]

[[Guinea and Cote D'ivoire]]

* [[Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve]]

[[Haiti]]

* [[National History Park -- Citadel, Sans-Souci, Ramiers]]

[[Holy See]]

* [[Vatican City]]

[[Honduras]]

* [[Maya Site of Copan]]

* [[Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve]]

[[Hungary]]

* [[Budapest, the Banks of the Danube and the Buda Castle Quarter]]

* [[Hollok&ouml;]]

* [[Hortob&aacute;gy National Park]]

* [[Millenary Benedictine Monastery of Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment]]

* [[P&eacute;cs (Sopianae) Early Christian Cemetery]]

* [[Tokaji Wine Region Cultural Landscape]]

[[Hungary and Slovakia]]

* [[Caves of the Aggtelek and Slovak Karst]]

[[India]]

* [[Agra Fort]]

* [[Ajanta Caves]]

* [[Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur]]

* [[Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi]]

* [[Churches and Convents of Goa]]

* [[Darjeeling Himalayan Railway]]

* [[Elephanta Caves]]

* [[Ellora Caves]]

* [[Fatehpur Sikri]]

* [[Group of Monuments at Hampi]]

* [[Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram]]

* [[Group of Monuments at Pattadakal]]

* [[Humayun's Tomb, Delhi]]

* [[Kaziranga National Park]]

* [[Keoladeo National Park]]

* [[Khajuraho Group of Monuments]]

* [[Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya]]

* [[Manas Wildlife Sanctuary]]

* [[Nanda Devi National Park]]

* [[Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi]]

* [[Sun Temple, Konarak]]

* [[Sundarbans National Park]]

* [[Taj Mahal]]

[[Indonesia]]

* [[Borobudur Temple Compounds]]

* [[Komodo National Park]]

* [[Lorentz National Park]]

* [[Prambanan Temple Compounds]]

* [[Sangiran Early Man Site]]

* [[Ujung Kulon National Park]]

[[Iran]]

* [[Meidan Emam, Esfahan]]

* [[Persepolis]]

* [[Tchogha Zanbil]]

[[Iraq]]

* [[Hatra]]

[[Ireland]]

* [[Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne]]

* [[Skellig Michael]]

[[Israel]]

* [[Masada]]

* Old City of [[Acre]]

The destruction of cultural assets and identity-establishing sites is one of the primary goals of modern asymmetrical warfare. Terrorists, rebels, and mercenary armies deliberately smash archaeological sites, sacred and secular monuments and loot libraries, archives and museums. The UN, [[United Nations peacekeeping]] and [[UNESCO]] in cooperation with [[Blue Shield International]] are active in preventing such acts. "No strike lists" are also created to protect cultural assets from air strikes.<ref>{{cite web|first1=Peter |last1=Stone |title=Monuments Men: protecting cultural heritage in war zones |publisher=[[Apollo (magazine)|Apollo – The International Art Magazine]] |date= 2 February 2015 |access-date=22 May 2020 |url=https://www.apollo-magazine.com/inquiry-monuments-men/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526201349/https://www.apollo-magazine.com/inquiry-monuments-men/ |archive-date=26 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first1=Mehroz |last1=Baig |title=When War Destroys Identity |work=[[HuffPost|The Huffington Post]] |date=12 May 2014 |access-date=22 May 2020 |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/when-war-destroys-identity_b_5290161 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526201558/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/when-war-destroys-identity_b_5290161 |archive-date=26 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=UNESCO Director-General calls for stronger cooperation for heritage protection at the Blue Shield International General Assembly |publisher=UNESCO |date=13 September 2017 |access-date=22 May 2020 |url=http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/unesco_director_general_calls_for_stronger_cooperation_for_h/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526201857/http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/unesco_director_general_calls_for_stronger_cooperation_for_h/ |archive-date=26 May 2020}}</ref>{{sfn|O'Keefe|Péron|Musayev|Ferrari|2016}}

[[Israel]]/[[Palestine]]

* Old City of [[Jerusalem]] and its Walls

The founding president of Blue Shield International [[Karl von Habsburg]] summed it up with the words: "Without the local community and without the local participants, that would be completely impossible".<ref>{{cite web |first1=Christoph |last1=Matz |title=Karl von Habsburg auf Mission im Libanon |trans-title=Karl von Habsburg on a mission in Lebanon |newspaper=[[Kronen Zeitung]] |url=https://www.krone.at/1911689 |access-date=22 May 2020 |date=28 April 2019 |language=de |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200526200932/https://www.krone.at/1911689 |archive-date=26 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/action-plan-to-preserve-heritage-sites-during-conflict |title=Action plan to preserve heritage sites during conflict |publisher=United Nations peacekeeping |date=12 April 2019 |access-date=25 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527103531/https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/action-plan-to-preserve-heritage-sites-during-conflict |archive-date=27 May 2020}}</ref>

[[Italy]]

* [[18th-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli and the San Leucio Complex]]

* [[Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia]]

* [[Archaeological Area of Agrigento]]

* [[Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum, and Torre Annunziata]]

* [[Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites]]

* [[Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico), Padua]]

* [[Castel del Monte]]

* [[Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena]]

* [[Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci]]

* [[Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula]]

* [[City of Verona]]

* [[City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto]]

* [[Costiera Amalfitana]]

* [[Crespi d'Adda]]

* [[Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna]]

* [[Ferrara, City of the Renaissance and its Po Delta]]

* [[Historic Centre of Florence]]

* [[Historic Centre of Naples]]

* [[Historic Centre of San Gimignano]]

* [[Historic Centre of Siena]]

* [[Historic Centre of Urbino]]

* [[Historic Centre of the City of Pienza]]

* [[I Sassi di Matera]]

* [[Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands)]]

* [[Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-eastern Sicily)]]

* [[Piazza del Duomo, Pisa]]

* [[Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto)]]

* [[Residences of the Royal House of Savoy]]

* [[Rock Drawings in Valcamonica]]

* [[Su Nuraxi di Barumini]]

* [[The trulli of Alberobello]]

* [[Venice and its Lagoon]]

* [[Villa Adriana (Tivoli)]]

* [[Villa Romana del Casale]]

* [[Villa d'Este, Tivoli]]

[[Italy/holy See]]

* [[Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights, and San Paolo Fuori le Mura]]

[[Japan]]

* [[Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area]]

* [[Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu]]

* [[Himeji-jo]]

* [[Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome)]]

* [[Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)]]

* [[Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara]]

* [[Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama]]

* [[Itsukushima Shinto Shrine]]

* [[Shirakami-Sanchi]]

* [[Shrines and Temples of Nikko]]

* [[Yakushima]]

[[Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis]]

* [[Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis:]]

[[Jordan]]

* [[Petra]]

* [[Quseir Amra]]

[[Kenya]]

* [[Lake Turkana National Parks]]

* [[Lamu Old Town]]

* [[Mount Kenya National Park / Natural Forest]]

[[Laos|Lao People's Democratic Republic]]

* [[Town of Luang Prabang]]

* [[Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champasak Cultural Landscape]]

[[Latvia]]

* [[Historic Centre of Riga]]

[[Lebanon]]

* [[Anjar]]

* [[Baalbek]]

* [[Byblos]]

* [[Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab)]]

* [[Tyre]]

[[Libya|Libyan Arab Jamahiriya]]

* [[Archaeological Site of Cyrene]]

* [[Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna]]

* [[Archaeological Site of Sabratha]]

* [[Old Town of Ghadames]]

* [[Rock-art Sites of Tadrart Acacus]]

[[Lithuania]]

* [[Vilnius Historic Centre]]

[[Lithuania / Russian Federation]]

* [[Curonian Spit]]

[[Luxembourg]]

* [[City of Luxemburg: its Old Quarters and Fortifications]]

[[Madagascar]]

* [[The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga]]

* [[Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve]]

[[Malawi]]

* [[Lake Malawi National Park]]

[[Malaysia]]

* [[Gunung Mulu National Park]]

* [[Kinabalu Park]]

[[Mali]]

* [[Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons)]]

* [[Old Towns of Djenn&eacute;]]

* [[Timbuktu]]

[[Malta]]

* [[City of Valetta]]

* [[Hal Saflieni Hypogeum]]

* [[Megalithic Temples of Malta]]

[[Mauritania]]

* [[Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata]]

* [[Banc d'Arguin National Park]]

[[Mexico]]

* [[Ancient Maya City of Calakmul, Campeche]]

* [[Archaeological Monuments Zone of Xochicalco]]

* [[Archeological Zone of Paquim&eacute;, Casas Grandes]]

* [[Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl]]

* [[El Tajin, Pre-Hispanic City]]

* [[Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco]]

* [[Historic Centre of Morelia]]

* [[Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Alban]]

* [[Historic Centre of Puebla]]

* [[Historic Centre of Zacatecas]]

* [[Historic Fortified Town of Campeche]]

* [[Historic Monuments Zone of Quer&eacute;taro]]

* [[Historic Monuments Zone of Tlacotalpan]]

* [[Historic Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent Mines]]

* [[Hospicio Caba&ntilde;as, Guadalajara]]

* [[Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of Palenque]]

* [[Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza]]

* [[Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan]]

* [[Prehispanic Town of Uxmal]]

* [[Rock Paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco]]

* [[Sian Ka'an]]

* [[Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino]]

[[Morocco]]

* [[Archaeological Site of Volubilis]]

* [[Historic City of Meknes]]

* [[Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou]]

* [[Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador)]]

* [[Medina of Fez]]

* [[Medina of Marrakesh]]

* [[Medina of T&eacute;touan (formerly known as Titawin)]]

[[Mozambique]]

* [[Island of Mozambique]]

[[Nepal]]

* [[Kathmandu Valley]]

* [[Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha]]

* [[Royal Chitwan National Park]]

* [[Sagarmatha National Park]]

[[Netherlands]]

* [[Defense Line of Amsterdam]]

* [[Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder)]]

* [[Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City, and Harbour, Netherlands Antilles]]

* [[Ir.D.F. Woudagemaal (D.F. Wouda Steam Pumping Station)]]

* [[Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout]]

* [[Rietveld Schr&ouml;derhuis (Rietveld Schr&ouml;der House)]]

* [[Schokland and Surroundings]]

[[New Zealand]]

* [[New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands]]

* [[Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand]]

* [[Tongariro National Park]]

[[Nicaragua]]

* [[Ruins of Le&oacute;n Viejo]]

[[Niger]]

* [[Air and T&eacute;n&eacute;r&eacute; Natural Reserves]]

* [[W National Park of Niger]]

[[Nigeria]]

* [[Sukur Cultural Landscape]]

[[Norway]]

* [[Bryggen]]

* [[R&oslash;ros]]

* [[Rock Drawings of Alta]]

* [[Urnes Stave Church]]

[[Oman]]

* [[Arabian Oryx Sanctuary]]

* [[Archaeological sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn]]

* [[Bahla Fort]]

* [[The Frankincense Trail]]

[[Pakistan]]

* [[Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro]]

* [[Buddhist Ruins at Takht-i-Bahi and Neighboring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol]]

* [[Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore]]

* [[Historic Monuments of Thatta]]

* [[Rohtas Fort]]

* [[Taxila]]

[[Panama]]

* [[Darien National Park]]

* [[Fortifications on the Caribbean side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo]]

* [[The Historic District of Panam&aacute;, with the Sal&oacute;n Bolivar]]

[[Paraguay]]

* [[Jesuit Missions of La Santisima Trinidad de Parana and Jesus de Tavarangue]]

[[Peru]]

* [[Chan Chan Archaeological Zone]]

* [[Chavin (Archaeological site)]]

* [[City of Cuzco]]

* [[Historic Centre of Lima]]

* [[Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu]]

* [[Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa]]

* [[Huascaran National Park]]

* [[Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Pampas de Jumana]]

* [[Manu National Park]]

* [[Rio Abiseo National Park]]

[[Philippines]]

* [[Baroque Churches of the Philippines]]

* [[Historic Town of Vigan]]

* [[Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park]]

* [[Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras]]

* [[Tubbataha Reef Marine Park]]

[[Poland]]

* [[Auschwitz Concentration Camp]]

* [[Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork]]

* [[Churches of Peace in Jawor and Swidnica]]

* [[Cracow's Historic Centre]]

* [[Historic Centre of Warsaw]]

* [[Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex and Pilgrimage Park]]

* [[Medieval Town of Torun]]

* [[Old City of Zamosc]]

* [[Wieliczka Salt Mine]]

[[Portugal]]

* [[Alto Douro Wine Region]]

* [[Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores]]

* [[Convent of Christ in Tomar]]

* [[Cultural Landscape of Sintra]]

* [[Historic Centre of Evora]]

* [[Historic Centre of Guimarães]]

* [[Historic Centre of Oporto]]

* [[Laurisilva of Madeira]]

* [[Monastery of Alcoba&ccedil;a]]

* [[Monastery of Batalha]]

* [[Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belem in Lisbon]]

* [[Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the C&ocirc;a Valley]]

[[Republic of Korea]]

* [[Changdeokgung Palace Complex]]

* [[Gochang, Hwasun, and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites]]

* [[Gyeongju Historic Areas]]

* [[Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks]]

* [[Hwaseong Fortress]]

* [[Jongmyo Shrine]]

* [[Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple]]

[[Romania]]

* [[Churches of Moldavia]]

* [[Dacian Fortresses of the Orastie Mountains]]

* [[Danube Delta]]

* [[Historic Centre of Sighisoara]]

* [[Monastery of Horezu]]

==Criticism==

* [[Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania]]

The UNESCO-administered project has attracted criticism. This was caused by perceived under-representation of heritage sites outside Europe, disputed decisions on site selection and adverse impact of mass tourism on sites unable to manage rapid growth in visitor numbers.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Barron |first1=Laignee |title='Unesco-cide': does world heritage status do cities more harm than good? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/aug/30/unescocide-world-heritage-status-hurt-help-tourism |access-date=3 September 2017 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |___location=London |date=30 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527103655/https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/aug/30/unescocide-world-heritage-status-hurt-help-tourism |archive-date=27 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Vallely |first1=Paul |title=The Big Question: What is a World Heritage Site, and does the accolade make a difference? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/the-big-question-what-is-a-world-heritage-site-and-does-the-accolade-make-a-difference-997955.html |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=7 November 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027192333/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/the-big-question-what-is-a-world-heritage-site-and-does-the-accolade-make-a-difference-997955.html |archive-date=27 October 2016}}</ref> A large [[Lobbying|lobbying industry]] has grown around the awards, because World Heritage listing can significantly increase tourism returns. Site listing bids are often lengthy and costly, putting poorer countries at a disadvantage. [[Eritrea]]'s efforts to promote [[Asmara]] are one example.<ref>{{cite news |title=Modernist masterpieces in unlikely Asmara |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2016/07/architecture-eritrea?zid=317|author=T.G. |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |date=20 July 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170715102559/https://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2016/07/architecture-eritrea?zid=317 |archive-date=15 July 2017}}</ref>

* [[Wooden Churches of Maramures]]

[[Russian Federation]]

* [[Architectural Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad]]

* [[Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park]]

* [[Central Sikhote-Alin]]

* [[Church of the Ascension, Kolomenskoye]]

* [[Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands]]

* [[Ensemble of the Ferapontov Monastery]]

* [[Golden Mountains of Altai]]

* [[Historic Centre of St. Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments]]

* [[Historic Monuments of Novgorod and Surroundings]]

* [[Historic and Architectural Complex of the Kazan Kremlin]]

* [[Kizhi Pogost]]

* [[Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow]]

* [[Lake Baikal]]

* [[Virgin Komi Forests]]

* [[Volcanoes of Kamchatka]]

* [[Western Caucasus]]

* [[White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal]]

[[Senegal]]

* [[Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary]]

* [[Island of Gor&eacute;e]]

* [[Island of Saint-Louis]]

* [[Niokolo-Koba National Park]]

[[Seychelles]]

* [[Aldabra Atoll]]

* [[Vall&eacute;e de Mai Nature Reserve]]

[[Slovakia]]

* [[Banska Stiavnica]]

* [[Bardejov Town Conservation Reserve]]

* [[Spi&#154;ský Hrad and its Associated Cultural Monuments]]

* [[Vlkolinec]]

[[Slovenia]]

In 2016, the Australian government was reported to have successfully lobbied for the World Heritage Site [[Great Barrier Reef]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Great Barrier Reef|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154/|url-status=live|access-date=25 October 2021|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|archive-date=25 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025160546/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154/}}</ref> conservation efforts to be removed from a UNESCO report titled "World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate". The Australian government's actions, involving considerable expense for lobbying and visits for [[diplomat]]s, were in response to their concern about the negative impact that an "at risk" label could have on tourism revenue at a previously designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Slezak |first1=Michael |title=Australia scrubbed from UN climate change report after government intervention |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/27/australia-scrubbed-from-un-climate-change-report-after-government-intervention |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=26 May 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027130133/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/may/27/australia-scrubbed-from-un-climate-change-report-after-government-intervention |archive-date=27 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hasham |first1=Nicole |title=Government spent at least $400,000 lobbying against Great Barrier Reef 'danger' listing |url=https://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/government-spent-at-least-400000-lobbying-against-great-barrier-reef-danger-listing-20150914-gjlwr2.html |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=17 September 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228235450/http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/government-spent-at-least-400000-lobbying-against-great-barrier-reef-danger-listing-20150914-gjlwr2.html |archive-date=28 December 2016}}</ref>

* [[Skocjan Caves]]

[[Solomon Islands]]

* [[East Rennell]]

[[South Africa]]

* [[Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai, and Environs]]

* [[Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park]]

* [[Robben Island]]

* [[uKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park]]

[[Spain]]

* [[Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzin, Granada]]

* [[Altamira Cave]]

* [[Aranjuez Cultural Landscape]]

* [[Archaeological Ensemble of M&eacute;rida]]

* [[Archaeological Ensemble of T&aacute;rraco]]

* [[Archaeological Site of Atapuerca]]

* [[Burgos Cathedral]]

* [[Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Bo&iacute;]]

* [[Cathedral, Alcazar and Archivo de Indias in Seville]]

* [[Do&ntilde;ana National Park]]

* [[Garajonay National Park]]

* [[Historic Centre of Cordoba]]

* [[Historic City of Toledo]]

* [[Historic Walled Town of Cuenca]]

* [[Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture]]

* [[La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia]]

* [[Las M&eacute;dulas]]

* [[Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid]]

* [[Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias]]

* [[Mudejar Architecture of Aragon]]

* [[Old City of Salamanca]]

* [[Old Town of Avila, with its Extra-Muros churches]]

* [[Old Town of Caceres]]

* [[Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct]]

* [[Palmeral of Elche]]

* [[Parque G&uuml;ell, Palacio G&uuml;ell and Casa Mila in Barcelona]]

* [[Poblet Monastery]]

* [[Rock-Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula]]

* [[Roman Walls of Lugo]]

* [[Route of Santiago de Compostela]]

* [[Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Guadalupe]]

* [[San Crist&oacute;bal de La Laguna]]

* [[San Mill&aacute;n Yuso and Suso Monasteries]]

* [[Santiago de Compostela (Old Town)]]

* [[The Palau de la M&uacute;sica Catalana and the Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona]]

* [[University and Historic Precinct of Alcal&aacute; de Henares]]

[[Sri Lanka]]

* [[Ancient City of Polonnaruwa]]

* [[Ancient City of Sigiriya]]

* [[Golden Temple of Dambulla]]

* [[Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications]]

* [[Sacred City of Anuradhapura]]

* [[Sacred City of Kandy]]

* [[Sinharaja Forest Reserve]]

[[Suriname]]

* [[Central Suriname Nature Reserve]]

* [[Historic Inner City of Paramaribo]]

[[Sweden]]

* [[Agricultural Landscape of Southern &Ouml;land]]

* [[Birka and Hovg&aring;rden]]

* [[Church Village of Gammelstad, Lule&aring;]]

* [[Engelsberg Ironworks]]

* [[Hanseatic Town of Visby]]

* [[High Coast]]

* [[Laponian Area]]

* [[Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in Falun]]

* [[Naval Port of Karlskrona]]

* [[Rock Carvings in Tanum]]

* [[Royal Domain of Drottningholm]]

* [[Skogskyrkog&aring;rden]]

[[Switzerland]]

* [[Benedictine Convent of St. John at M&uuml;stair]]

* [[Convent of St. Gall]]

* [[Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn]]

* [[Old City of Berne]]

* [[Three Castles, Defensive Wall and Ramparts of the Market-town of Bellinzone]]

[[Syria|Syrian Arab Republic]]

* Ancient City of [[Aleppo]]

* Ancient City of [[Bosra]]

* Ancient City of [[Damascus]]

* Site of [[Palmyra]]

[[Thailand]]

* [[Ban Chiang Archaeological Site]]

* Historic City of [[Ayutthaya]] and Associated Historic Towns]]

* Historic Town of [[Sukhothai]] and Associated Historic Towns

* [[Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries]]

[[Tunisia]]

* [[Amphitheater of El Jem]]

* [[Dougga/Thugga]]

* [[Ichkeul National Park]]

* [[Kairouan]]

* [[Medina of Sousse]]

* [[Medina of Tunis]]

* [[Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis]]

* [[Site of Carthage]]

[[Turkey]]

* Archaeological Site of [[Troy]]

* City of [[Safranbolu]]

* [[G&ouml;reme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia]]

* [[Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi]]

* [[Hattusha]]

* [[Hierapolis-Pamukkale]]

* [[Historic Areas of Istanbul]]

* [[Nemrut Dag]]

* [[Xanthos-Letoon]]

[[Turkmenistan]]

* [[State Historical and Cultural Park "Ancient Merv"]]

[[Uganda]]

* [[Bwindi Impenetrable National Park]]

* [[Rwenzori Mountains National Park]]

* [[Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi]]

[[Ukraine]]

* [[Kiev]]: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra

* [[L'viv]] - the Ensemble of the Historic Centre

[[United Kingdom]]

* [[Blaenavon Industrial Landscape]]

* [[Blenheim Palace]]

* [[Canterbury Cathedral, St. Augustine's Abbey and St. Martin's Church]]

* [[Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd]]

* City of [[Bath]]

* [[Derwent Valley Mills]]

* [[Dorset and East Devon Coast]]

* [[Durham Castle and Cathedral]]

* [[Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast]]

* [[Gough Island Wildlife Reserve]]

* [[Hadrian's Wall]]

* [[Heart of Neolithic Orkney]]

* [[Henderson Island]]

* [[Ironbridge Gorge]]

* [[Maritime Greenwich]]

* [[New Lanark]]

* [[Old and New Towns of Edinburgh]]

* [[Saltaire]]

* [[St. Kilda]]

* [[Stonehenge]], [[Avebury]] and Associated Sites

* [[Studley Royal Park]], including the Ruins of [[Fountains abbey]]

* [[Tower of London]]

* [[Westminster Palace]], [[Westminster Abbey]], and [[Saint Margaret's Church]]

[[United Republic of Tanzania]]

* [[Kilimanjaro National Park]]

* [[Ngorongoro Conservation Area]]

* [[Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara]]

* [[Selous Game Reserve]]

* [[Serengeti National Park]]

* [[Stone Town of Zanzibar]]

[[United States of America]]

* [[Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site]]

* [[Carlsbad Caverns National Park]]

* [[Chaco Culture National Historic Park]]

* [[Everglades National Park]]

* [[Grand Canyon National Park]]

* [[Great Smoky Mountains National Park]]

* [[Hawaii Volcanoes National Park]]

* [[Independence Hall]]

* [[La Fortaleza and San Juan Historic Site in Puerto Rico]]

* [[Mammoth Cave National Park]]

* [[Mesa Verde]]

* [[Monticello and University of Virginia in Charlottesville]]

* [[Olympic National Park]]

* [[Pueblo de Taos]]

* [[Redwood National Park]]

* [[Statue of Liberty]]

* [[Yellowstone]]

* [[Yosemite National Park]]

[[Uruguay]]

* Historic Quarter of the City of [[Colonia del Sacramento]]

[[Uzbekistan]]

* Historic Centre of [[Bukhara]]

* Historic Centre of [[Shakhrisyabz]]

* [[Itchan Kala]]

* [[Samarkand]] - Crossroads of Cultures

[[Venezuela]]

* [[Canaima National Park]]

* [[Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas]]

* [[Coro and its Port]]

[[Viet Nam]]

* [[Complex of Hu&eacute; Monuments]]

* [[Ha Long Bay]]

* [[Hoi An Ancient Town]]

* [[My Son Sanctuary]]

[[Yemen]]

* Historic Town of [[Zabid]]

* Old City of [[Sana'a]]

* Old Walled City of [[Shibam]]

[[Yugoslavia]]

* [[Durmitor National Park]]

* [[Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor]]

* [[Stari Ras and Sopocani]]

* [[Studenica Monastery]]

[[Zimbabwe]]

* [[Great Zimbabwe National Monument]]

* [[Khami Ruins National Monument]]

* [[Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas]]

* [[Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls]]

In 2021, international scientists recommended UNESCO to put the Great Barrier Reef on the endangered list,<ref>{{Cite web|title=UNESCO World Heritage Centre – List of World Heritage in Danger|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/danger/|url-status=live|access-date=25 October 2021|website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|language=en|archive-date=30 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930173032/https://whc.unesco.org/en/danger/}}</ref> as global [[climate change]] had caused a further negative state of the corals and water quality.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Readfearn|first=Graham|date=22 June 2021|title=Political ploys and an ocean jewel: what's behind the UN's 'in danger' warning for the Great Barrier Reef|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/23/political-ploys-and-an-ocean-jewel-whats-behind-the-uns-in-danger-warning-for-the-great-barrier-reef|url-status=live|access-date=25 October 2021|work=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=27 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027020234/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/23/political-ploys-and-an-ocean-jewel-whats-behind-the-uns-in-danger-warning-for-the-great-barrier-reef}}</ref> Again, the Australian government campaigned against this, and in July 2021, the [[World Heritage Committee]], made up of diplomatic representatives of 21 countries, ignored UNESCO's assessment, based on studies of scientists, "that the reef was clearly in danger from climate change and so should be placed on the list." According to environmental protection groups, this "decision was a victory for cynical lobbying and [...] Australia, as custodians of the world's biggest coral reef, was now on probation."<ref>{{Cite news|last=Readfearn|first=Graham|date=23 July 2021|title=World Heritage Committee agrees not to place Great Barrier Reef on 'in danger' list|url=http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/23/world-heritage-committee-agrees-not-to-place-great-barrier-reef-on-in-danger-list|url-status=live|access-date=25 October 2021|work=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=25 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025205001/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jul/23/world-heritage-committee-agrees-not-to-place-great-barrier-reef-on-in-danger-list}}</ref>

Several listed locations, such as [[Casco Viejo, Panama|Casco Viejo]] in [[Panama]] and [[Hội An]] in [[Vietnam]], have struggled to strike a balance between the [[Tourism economics|economic benefits]] of catering to greatly increased visitor numbers after the recognition and preserving the original culture and local communities.<ref name="Maurel">{{cite news |last1=Maurel |first1=Chloé |title=The unintended consequences of UNESCO World Heritage listing |url=https://theconversation.com/the-unintended-consequences-of-unesco-world-heritage-listing-71047 |date=11 January 2017 |access-date=4 September 2017 |publisher=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527103829/https://theconversation.com/the-unintended-consequences-of-unesco-world-heritage-listing-71047 |archive-date=27 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Caust |first1=Jo |title=Is UNESCO World Heritage status for cultural sites killing the things it loves? |url=https://theconversation.com/is-unesco-world-heritage-status-for-cultural-sites-killing-the-things-it-loves-98546 |date=10 July 2018 |access-date=30 May 2020 |publisher=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530083557/https://theconversation.com/is-unesco-world-heritage-status-for-cultural-sites-killing-the-things-it-loves-98546 |archive-date=30 May 2020}}</ref>

Another criticism is that there is a [[Homogeneity and heterogeneity#Sociology|homogeneity]] to these sites, which contain similar styles, [[Visitor center|visitor centres]], etc., meaning that a lot of the individuality of these sites has been removed to become more attractive to tourists.<ref>{{cite book |title=Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Heritage |chapter=Is world heritage politically sustainable? |date=9 June 2022 |isbn=9780367482749 |doi=10.4324/9781003038955-17 |page=183|publisher=Routledge |last1=Barrett-Casey |first1=Kristen |last2=Hisari |first2=Lorika |last3=Fouseki |first3=Kalliopi }}</ref>

==External links==

Anthropologist Jasper Chalcraft said that World Heritage recognition often ignores contemporary local usage of certain sites. This leads to conflicts on the local level which can result in the site being damaged. [[Rock art]] under world heritage protection at the [[Acacus Mountains|Tadrart Acacus]] in [[Libya]] have occasionally been intentionally destroyed. Chalcraft links this destruction to Libyan national authorities prioritizing World Heritage status over local sensibilities by limiting access to the sites without consulting with the local population.<ref>{{Citation |last=Chalcraft |first=Jasper |title=World Heritage on the Ground |chapter=Chapter 9 Decolonizing the Site: The Problems and Pragmatics of World Heritage in Italy, Libya and Tanzania |date=1 April 2016 |chapter-url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781785330926-011/html |pages=219–247 |access-date=9 December 2023 |publisher=Berghahn Books |language=en |doi=10.1515/9781785330926-011 |isbn=978-1-78533-092-6 |archive-date=9 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209160013/https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9781785330926-011/html |url-status=live }}</ref>

* Here is [http://whc.unesco.org/heritage.htm#debut a list of UNESCO world heritage sites.] ''(Someone please wikify at some point.)''

UNESCO has also been criticized for alleged geographic bias, [[racism]], and [[Discrimination based on skin tone|colourism]] in world heritage inscription. A major chunk of all world heritage inscriptions are located in regions whose populations generally have lighter skin, including Europe, East Asia, and North America.<ref>Eliot, et al (2012). World heritage: Constructing a universal cultural order. Poetics Journal.</ref><ref>Djurberg, et al (2018). Reforming UNESCO's World Heritage. The Globalist.</ref><ref>Keough (2011). Heritage in Peril: A Critique of UNESCO's World Heritage Program. Global Studies Law Review.</ref><ref>Steiner, et al (2011). Imbalance of World Heritage List: "Did the UNESCO Strategy Work?". University of Zurich.</ref>

==Statistics==

{{Main|List of World Heritage Sites by year of inscription}}

[[File:Unesco_world_heritage_sites.png|thumb|UNESCO World Heritage Sites]]

The World Heritage Committee has divided the world into five geographic regions: Africa, Arab states, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Russia and the [[Caucasus]] states are classified as European, while Mexico and the Caribbean are classified as belonging to the Latin America and the Caribbean region. The UNESCO geographic regions also give greater emphasis on administrative, rather than geographic associations. Hence, [[Gough Island]], located in the South Atlantic, is part of the Europe and North America region because the British government nominated the site.

The table below includes a breakdown of the sites according to these regions and their classification ({{as of|2025|07}}):<ref name="WHList">{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list |title=World Heritage List |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date =13 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/stat |title=World Heritage List Statistics |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |access-date=26 January 2023 |archive-date=14 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514002820/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/stat |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! Region

! Cultural

! Natural

! Mixed

! Total

! Percentage

! States parties with<br/>inscribed properties

|-

! style=text-align:left | [[List of World Heritage Sites in Africa|Africa]]

| 63

| 44

| 5

| 112

| 8.97%

| 38

|-

! style=text-align:left | [[List of World Heritage Sites in the Arab states|Arab states]]

| 88

| 6

| 3

| 97

| 7.77%

| 18

|-

! style=text-align:left | [[Lists of World Heritage Sites#Asia|Asia]] and the [[List of World Heritage Sites in Oceania|Pacific]]

| 220

| 73{{efn|Includes the sites [[Uvs Lake Basin|Uvs Nuur Basin]] and [[Landscapes of Dauria]] located in Mongolia and Russia.}}

| 13

| 306

| 24.52%

| 36

|-

! style=text-align:left | [[Lists of World Heritage Sites#Europe|Europe]] and [[List of World Heritage Sites in North America|North America]]

| 496{{efn|Includes the site [[The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier|The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement]] located in Argentina, Belgium, France, Germany, India, Japan, and Switzerland.}}

| 72

| 12

| 580

| 46.47%

| 50

|-

! style=text-align:left | [[Lists of World Heritage Sites#Americas|Latin America]] and the [[List of World Heritage Sites in the Caribbean|Caribbean]]

| 105

| 40

| 8

| 153

| 12.26%

| 28

|-

! Total

! 972

! 235

! 41

! 1,248

! 100%

! 170

|}

===Countries with 15 or more sites===

{{See also|World Heritage Sites by country}}

This overview lists the 23 countries with 15 or more World Heritage Sites ({{asof|2025|7}}):

<timeline>

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from:0 till:61 color:purple text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Italy|Italy]]" (61)

from:0 till:60 color:purple text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in China|China]]" (60)

from:0 till:55 color:blue text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Germany|Germany]]" (55)

from:0 till:54 color:blue text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in France|France]]" (54)

from:0 till:50 color:blue text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Spain|Spain]]" (50)

from:0 till:44 color:green text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in India|India]]" (44)

from:0 till:36 color:yellow text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Mexico|Mexico]]" (36)

from:0 till:35 color:yellow text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]" (35)

from:0 till:33 color:yellow text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Russia|Russia]]" (33)

from:0 till:29 color:orange text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Iran|Iran]]" (29)

from:0 till:26 color:orange text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Japan|Japan]]" (26)

from:0 till:26 color:orange text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in the United States|United States]]" (26)

from:0 till:25 color:orange text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Brazil|Brazil]]" (25)

from:0 till:22 color:orange text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Canada|Canada]]" (22)

from:0 till:22 color:orange text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Turkey|Turkey]]" (22)

from:0 till:21 color:orange text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Australia|Australia]]" (21)

from:0 till:20 color:orange text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Greece|Greece]]" (20)

from:0 till:17 color:red text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic|Czech Republic]]" (17)

from:0 till:17 color:red text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Poland|Poland]]" (17)

from:0 till:17 color:red text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Portugal|Portugal]]" (17)

from:0 till:17 color:red text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in South Korea|South Korea]]" (17)

from:0 till:16 color:red text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Belgium|Belgium]]" (16)

from:0 till:15 color:red text:"[[List of World Heritage Sites in Sweden|Sweden]]" (15)

barset:skip

</timeline>

==See also==

{{portal|Environment|Society|World}}

* [[GoUNESCO]] – initiative to promote awareness and provide tools for laypersons to engage with heritage

* [[Index of conservation articles]]

* [[Lists of World Heritage Sites]]

* [[Former UNESCO World Heritage Sites]]

* [[Memory of the World Programme]]

* [[UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists]]

* [[Ramsar Convention]] – international agreement on wetlands recognition

==Notes==

{{notelist}}

==References==

===Footnotes===

{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===

{{refbegin}}

* {{cite book |first1=Ray |last1=Edmondson |first2=Lothar |last2=Jordan |first3=Anca Claudia |last3=Prodan |title=The UNESCO Memory of the World Programme: Key Aspects and Recent Developments |publisher=[[Springer Nature|Springer Nature Switzerland AG]] |___location=Cham, Switzerland |year=2020 |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-18441-4 |isbn=978-3-030-18440-7 |s2cid=243052987}}

* {{cite book |first1=Roger |last1=O'Keefe |first2=Camille |last2=Péron |first3=Tofig |last3=Musayev |first4=Gianluca |last4=Ferrari |title=Protection of Cultural Property: Military Manual |publisher=UNESCO |___location=Sanremo, Italy |year=2016 |url=http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CLT/pdf/MilitaryManuel-En.pdf |isbn=978-92-3-100184-0 |access-date=22 May 2020 |archive-date=8 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108011511/http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/CLT/pdf/MilitaryManuel-En.pdf}}

{{refend}}

==External links==

{{Commons category|World Heritage Sites}}

{{Wikivoyage|UNESCO World Heritage List}}

{{Library resources box |by=no |onlinebooks=yes |others=yes |about=yes |label=World Heritage Site

|viaf= |lccn= |lcheading= |wikititle=}}

* [https://whc.unesco.org/ UNESCO World Heritage portal] – Official website {{in lang|en|fr}}

** [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list The World Heritage List] – Official searchable list of all Inscribed Properties

** [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/kml KML file of the World Heritage List] – Official [[Keyhole Markup Language|KML]] version of the list for [[Google Earth]] and [[NASA Worldwind]]

** [https://whc.unesco.org/en/soc UNESCO Information System on the State of Conservation of World Heritage properties] – Searchable online tool with over 3,400 reports on World Heritage Sites

** [https://whc.unesco.org/en/forests Official overview of the World Heritage Forest Program]

** [https://whc.unesco.org/en/conventiontext Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage] – Official 1972 Convention Text in seven languages

*** [https://web.archive.org/web/20060207191942/http://law-ref.org/HERITAGE/index.html The 1972 Convention at Law-Ref.org] – Fully indexed and crosslinked with other documents

* [https://www.protectedplanet.net/ Protected Planet] – View all Natural World Heritage Sites in the World Database on Protected Areas

* [https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/world-heritage-goes-marine World Heritage Site – Smithsonian Ocean Portal]

* [https://www.unescochair.usi.ch/ UNESCO chair in ICT] to develop and promote [[sustainable tourism]] in World Heritage Sites

* [https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/unesco UNESCO World Heritage Sites] showcased in [[Google Arts & Culture]]

{{Lists of World Heritage Sites}}

* For information concerning World Heritage sites: [http://www.unesco.org/whc UNESCO].

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:World Heritage Sites| ]]

* For participation in documentation of World Heritage sites: [http://www.vrheritage.org VRheritage.org].

[[Category:1972 in the environment]]

[[Category:1972 introductions]]

[[Category:Global culture]]

[[Category:Protected areas]]

[[Category:UNESCO]]