World Heritage List

Of late, I have become interested in UNESCO’sWorld Heritage List. According to the UNESCO site, http://whc.unesco.org/en/about/,

Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa’s Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world’s heritage.

What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

UNESCO's World Heritage mission is to:

· encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage;

· encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List;

· encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites;

· help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training;

· provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger;

· support States Parties' public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation;

· encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage;

· encourage international cooperation in the conservation of our world's cultural and natural heritage.

The World Heritage List, [itself, as of July, 2008,] includes 851 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value.

These include 660 cultural , 166 natural and 25 mixed properties in 141 States Parties. As of November 2007, 185 States Parties have ratified the World Heritage Convention.

Here is the list, according to the country in which the site is located [http://whc.unesco.org/en/listhttp://whc.unesco.org/en/list]:

Afghanistan

Albania

Butrint (1992, 1999, 2007)
Museum-City of Gjirokastra (2005)

Algeria

Azerbaijan

Bahrain

Qal’at al-Bahrain – Ancient Harbour and Capital of Dilmun (2005)

Bangladesh

Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat (1985)
Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur (1985)
The Sundarbans (1997)

Belarus

Belovezhskaya Pushcha / Białowieża Forest (1979, 1992) *
Mir Castle Complex (2000)
Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh (2005)
Struve Geodetic Arc (2005) *

Belgium

Flemish Béguinages (1998)
La Grand-Place, Brussels (1998)
The Four Lifts on the Canal du Centre and their Environs, La Louvière and Le Roeulx (Hainault) (1998)
Belfries of Belgium and France (1999, 2005) * ³
Historic Centre of Brugge (2000)
Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels) (2000)
Neolithic Flint Mines at Spiennes (Mons) (2000)
Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai (2000)
Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum Complex (2005)

Belize

Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (1996)

Benin

Royal Palaces of Abomey (1985, 2007)

Bolivia

City of Potosí (1987)
Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos (1990)
Historic City of Sucre (1991)
Fuerte de Samaipata (1998)
Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (2000)
Tiwanaku: Spiritual and Political Centre of the Tiwanaku Culture (2000)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar (2005)
Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad (2007)

Botswana

Tsodilo (2001)

Brazil

Historic Town of Ouro Preto (1980)
Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda (1982)
Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of Sao Miguel das Missoes (Brazil) (1983, 1984) *
Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia (1985)
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas (1985)
Iguaçu National Park (1986)
Brasilia (1987)
Serra da Capivara National Park (1991)
Historic Centre of São Luís (1997)
Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves (1999)
Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves (1999)
Historic Centre of the Town of Diamantina (1999)
Central Amazon Conservation Complex (2000, 2003) ⁴
Pantanal Conservation Area (2000)
Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves (2001)
Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks (2001)
Historic Centre of the Town of Goiás (2001)

Bulgaria

Cambodia

Angkor (1992)

Cameroon

Dja Faunal Reserve (1987)

Canada

L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site (1978)
Nahanni National Park (1978) ^#
Dinosaur Provincial Park (1979)
Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek (1979, 1992, 1994) ^# * ⁵
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump (1981)
SGang Gwaay (1981)
Wood Buffalo National Park (1983)
Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (1984, 1990) ^# ⁶
Historic District of Old Québec (1985)
Gros Morne National Park (1987)
Old Town Lunenburg (1995)
Waterton Glacier International Peace Park (1995) *
Miguasha National Park (1999)
Rideau Canal (2007)

Central African Republic

Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (1988)

Chile

Rapa Nui National Park (1995)
Churches of Chiloé (2000)
Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso (2003)
Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (2005)
Sewell Mining Town (2006)

China

Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang (1987, 2004)
Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (1987)
Mogao Caves (1987)
Mount Taishan (1987)
Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian (1987)
The Great Wall (1987)
Mount Huangshan (1990)
Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains (1994)
Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa (1994, 2000, 2001) ⁷
Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde (1994)
Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu (1994)
Lushan National Park (1996)
Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area (1996)
Ancient City of Ping Yao (1997)
Classical Gardens of Suzhou (1997, 2000)
Old Town of Lijiang (1997)
Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing (1998)
Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing (1998)
Dazu Rock Carvings (1999)
Mount Wuyi (1999)
Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui – Xidi and Hongcun (2000)
Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (2000, 2003, 2004)
Longmen Grottoes (2000)
Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (2000)
Yungang Grottoes (2001)
Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas (2003)
Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom (2004)
Historic Centre of Macao (2005)
Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries (2006)
Yin Xu (2006)
Kaiping Diaolou and Villages (2007)
South China Karst (2007)

Colombia

Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena (1984)
Los Katíos National Park (1994)
Historic Centre of Santa Cruz de Mompox (1995)
National Archeological Park of Tierradentro (1995)
San Agustín Archeological Park (1995)
Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary (2006)

Costa Rica

Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park (1983, 1990) *
Cocos Island National Park (1997, 2002)
Area de Conservación Guanacaste (1999, 2004)

Côte d'Ivoire

Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (1981, 1982) *
Taï National Park (1982)
Comoé National Park (1983)

Croatia

Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian (1979)
Old City of Dubrovnik (1979, 1994)
Plitvice Lakes National Park (1979, 2000) ^#
Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the Historic Centre of Poreč (1997)
Historic City of Trogir (1997)
The Cathedral of St James in Šibenik (2000)

Cuba

Old Havana and its Fortifications (1982)
Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios (1988)
San Pedro de la Roca Castle, Santiago de Cuba (1997)
Desembarco del Granma National Park (1999)
Viñales Valley (1999)
Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee Plantations in the South-East of Cuba (2000)
Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (2001)
Urban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos (2005)

Cyprus

Paphos (1980)
Painted Churches in the Troodos Region (1985, 2001)
Choirokoitia (1998)

Czech Republic

Historic Centre of Český Krumlov (1992)
Historic Centre of Prague (1992)
Historic Centre of Telč (1992)
Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk at Zelená Hora (1994)
Kutná Hora: Historical Town Centre with the Church of St Barbara and the Cathedral of Our Lady at Sedlec (1995)
Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape (1996)
Gardens and Castle at Kroměříž (1998)
Holašovice Historical Village Reservation (1998)
Litomyšl Castle (1999)
Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc (2000)
Tugendhat Villa in Brno (2001)
Jewish Quarter and St Procopius' Basilica in Třebíč (2003)

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Denmark

Jelling Mounds, Runic Stones and Church (1994)
Roskilde Cathedral (1995)
Kronborg Castle (2000)
Ilulissat Icefjord (2004)

Dominica

Morne Trois Pitons National Park (1997)

Dominican Republic

Colonial City of Santo Domingo (1990)

Ecuador

Galápagos Islands (1978, 2001)
City of Quito (1978)
Sangay National Park (1983) ^#
Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca (1999)

Egypt

Abu Mena (1979)
Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis (1979)
Historic Cairo (1979)
Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur (1979)
Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae (1979)
Saint Catherine Area (2002)
Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) (2005)

El Salvador

Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site (1993)

Estonia

Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn (1997)
Struve Geodetic Arc (2005) *

Ethiopia

Simien National Park (1978)
Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela (1978)
Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region (1979)
Aksum (1980)
Lower Valley of the Awash (1980)
Lower Valley of the Omo (1980)
Tiya (1980)
Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town (2006)

Finland

Fortress of Suomenlinna (1991)
Old Rauma (1991)
Petäjävesi Old Church (1994)
Verla Groundwood and Board Mill (1996)
Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmäki (1999)
Kvarken Archipelago / High Coast (2000, 2006) *
Struve Geodetic Arc (2005) *

France

Chartres Cathedral (1979)
Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay (1979, 2007)
Palace and Park of Versailles (1979, 2007)
Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley (1979)
Vézelay, Church and Hill (1979, 2007)
Amiens Cathedral (1981)
Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments (1981)
Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay (1981, 2007)
Palace and Park of Fontainebleau (1981)
Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the "Triumphal Arch" of Orange (1981, 2007)
Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans (1982)
Abbey Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe (1983, 2007)
Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve (1983) ^#
Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance in Nancy (1983)
Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct) (1985, 2007)
Strasbourg – Grande île (1988)
Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-Remi and Palace of Tau, Reims (1991)
Paris, Banks of the Seine (1991)
Bourges Cathedral (1992)
Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge (1995)
Canal du Midi (1996)
Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne (1997)
Pyrénées - Mont Perdu (1997, 1999) *
Historic Site of Lyons (1998)
Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France (1998)
Belfries of Belgium and France (1999, 2005) * ⁸
Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion (1999)
The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes (2000) ⁹
Provins, Town of Medieval Fairs (2001)
Le Havre, the City Rebuilt by Auguste Perret (2005)
Bordeaux, Port of the Moon (2007)

Gabon

Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of Lopé-Okanda (2007)

Gambia

James Island and Related Sites (2003)
Stone Circles of Senegambia (2006) *

Georgia

Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery (1994)
Historical Monuments of Mtskheta (1994)
Upper Svaneti (1996)

Germany

Aachen Cathedral (1978)
Speyer Cathedral (1981)
Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square (1981)
Pilgrimage Church of Wies (1983)
Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl (1984)
St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim (1985)
Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier (1986)
Frontiers of the Roman Empire (1987, 2005) * ¹⁰
Hanseatic City of Lübeck (1987)
Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin (1990, 1992, 1999)
Abbey and Altenmünster of Lorsch (1991)
Mines of Rammelsberg and Historic Town of Goslar (1992)
Maulbronn Monastery Complex (1993)
Town of Bamberg (1993)
Collegiate Church, Castle, and Old Town of Quedlinburg (1994)
Völklingen Ironworks (1994)
Messel Pit Fossil Site (1995)
Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar and Dessau (1996)
Cologne Cathedral (1996)
Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg (1996)
Classical Weimar (1998)
Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin (1999)
Wartburg Castle (1999)
Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz (2000)
Monastic Island of Reichenau (2000)
Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex in Essen (2001)
Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar (2002)
Upper Middle Rhine Valley (2002)
Dresden Elbe Valley (2004)
Muskauer Park / Park Muzakowski (2004) *
Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen (2004)
Old town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof (2006)

Ghana

Greece

Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae (1986)
Acropolis, Athens (1987)
Archaeological Site of Delphi (1987)
Medieval City of Rhodes (1988)
Meteora (1988)
Mount Athos (1988)
Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika (1988)
Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus (1988)
Archaeological Site of Mystras (1989)
Archaeological Site of Olympia (1989)
Delos (1990)
Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios (1990)
Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos (1992)
Archaeological Site of Aigai (modern name Vergina) (1996)
Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns (1999)
Historic Centre (Chorá) with the Monastery of Saint John "the Theologian" and the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Pátmos (1999)
Old Town of Corfu (2007)

Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala (1979)
Tikal National Park (1979)
Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua (1981)

Guinea

Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (1981, 1982) *

Haiti

National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers (1982)

Holy See

Honduras

Maya Site of Copan (1980)
Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (1982)

Hungary

Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue (1987, 2002)
Old Village of Hollókö and its Surroundings (1987)
Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst (1995, 2000) *
Millenary Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma and its Natural Environment (1996)
Hortobágy National Park - the Puszta (1999)
Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs (Sopianae) (2000)
Fertö / Neusiedlersee Cultural Landscape (2001) *
Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape (2002)

Iceland

Þingvellir National Park (2004)

India

Agra Fort (1983)
Ajanta Caves (1983)
Ellora Caves (1983)
Taj Mahal (1983)
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)
Sun Temple, Konârak (1984)
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)
Kaziranga National Park (1985)
Keoladeo National Park (1985)
Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)
Fatehpur Sikri (1986)
Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)
Khajuraho Group of Monuments (1986)
Elephanta Caves (1987)
Great Living Chola Temples (1987, 2004) ¹²
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987)
Sundarbans National Park (1987)
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988, 2005)
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)
Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (1993)
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993)
Mountain Railways of India (1999, 2005) ¹³
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (2002)
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (2004)
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004)
Red Fort Complex (2007)

Indonesia

Borobudur Temple Compounds (1991)
Komodo National Park (1991)
Prambanan Temple Compounds (1991)
Ujung Kulon National Park (1991)
Sangiran Early Man Site (1996)
Lorentz National Park (1999)
Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (2004)

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Meidan Emam, Esfahan (1979)
Persepolis (1979)
Tchogha Zanbil (1979)
Takht-e Soleyman (2003)
Bam and its Cultural Landscape (2004, 2007)
Pasargadae (2004)
Soltaniyeh (2005)
Bisotun (2006)

Iraq

Ireland

Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne (1993)
Skellig Michael (1996)

Israel

Masada (2001)
Old City of Acre (2001)
White City of Tel-Aviv -- the Modern Movement (2003)
Biblical Tels - Megiddo, Hazor, Beer Sheba (2005)
Incense Route - Desert Cities in the Negev (2005)

Italy

Rock Drawings in Valcamonica (1979)
Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci (1980)
Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura (1980, 1990) * ¹⁴
Historic Centre of Florence (1982)
Piazza del Duomo, Pisa (1987, 2007)
Venice and its Lagoon (1987)
Historic Centre of San Gimignano (1990)
The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera (1993)
City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto (1994, 1996)
Crespi d'Adda (1995)
Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta (1995, 1999) ¹⁵
Historic Centre of Naples (1995)
Historic Centre of Siena (1995)
Castel del Monte (1996)
Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna (1996)
Historic Centre of the City of Pienza (1996)
The Trulli of Alberobello (1996)
18th-Century Royal Palace at Caserta with the Park, the Aqueduct of Vanvitelli, and the San Leucio Complex (1997)
Archaeological Area of Agrigento (1997)
Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata (1997)
Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico), Padua (1997)
Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena (1997)
Costiera Amalfitana (1997)
Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto) (1997)
Residences of the Royal House of Savoy (1997)
Su Nuraxi di Barumini (1997)
Villa Romana del Casale (1997)
Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia (1998)
Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula (1998)
Historic Centre of Urbino (1998)
Villa Adriana (Tivoli) (1999)
Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites (2000)
City of Verona (2000)
Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands) (2000)
Villa d'Este, Tivoli (2001)
Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily) (2002)
Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy (2003)
Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia (2004)
Val d'Orcia (2004)
Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica (2005)
Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli (2006)

Japan

Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area (1993)
Himeji-jo (1993)
Shirakami-Sanchi (1993)
Yakushima (1993)
Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) (1994)
Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama (1995)
Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) (1996)
Itsukushima Shinto Shrine (1996)
Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (1998)
Shrines and Temples of Nikko (1999)
Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu (2000)
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (2004)
Shiretoko (2005)
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape (2007)

Jerusalem (Site proposed by Jordan)

Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls (1981)

Lake Turkana National Parks (1997, 2001)
Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest (1997)
Lamu Old Town (2001)

Korea, Democratic People's Republic of

Complex of Koguryo Tombs (2004)

Korea, Republic of

Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks (1995)
Jongmyo Shrine (1995)
Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple (1995)
Changdeokgung Palace Complex (1997)
Hwaseong Fortress (1997)
Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites (2000)
Gyeongju Historic Areas (2000)
Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes (2007)

Lao People's Democratic Republic

Latvia

Historic Centre of Riga (1997)
Struve Geodetic Arc (2005) *

Lebanon

Anjar (1984)
Baalbek (1984)
Byblos (1984)
Tyre (1984)
Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab) (1998)

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Archaeological Site of Cyrene (1982)
Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna (1982)
Archaeological Site of Sabratha (1982)
Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus (1985)
Old Town of Ghadamès (1986)

Lithuania

Vilnius Historic Centre (1994)
Curonian Spit (2000) *
Kernavė Archaeological Site (Cultural Reserve of Kernavė) (2004)
Struve Geodetic Arc (2005) *

Luxembourg

City of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and Fortifications (1994)

Madagascar

Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve (1990)
Royal Hill of Ambohimanga (2001)
Rainforests of the Atsinanana (2007)

Malawi

Lake Malawi National Park (1984)
Chongoni Rock-Art Area (2006)

Malaysia

Gunung Mulu National Park (2000)
Kinabalu Park (2000)

Mali

Old Towns of Djenné (1988)
Timbuktu (1988)
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) (1989)
Tomb of Askia (2004)

Malta

City of Valletta (1980)
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum (1980)
Megalithic Temples of Malta (1980, 1992) ¹⁶

Mauritania

Mauritius

Aapravasi Ghat (2006)

Mexico

Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco (1987)
Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán (1987)
Historic Centre of Puebla (1987)
Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of Palenque (1987)
Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan (1987)
Sian Ka'an (1987)
Historic Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent Mines (1988)
Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen-Itza (1988)
Historic Centre of Morelia (1991)
El Tajin, Pre-Hispanic City (1992)
Historic Centre of Zacatecas (1993)
Rock Paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco (1993)
Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino (1993)
Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl (1994)
Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro (1996)
Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal (1996)
Hospicio Cabañas, Guadalajara (1997)
Archeological Zone of Paquimé, Casas Grandes (1998)
Historic Monuments Zone of Tlacotalpan (1998)
Archaeological Monuments Zone of Xochicalco (1999)
Historic Fortified Town of Campeche (1999)
Ancient Maya City of Calakmul, Campeche (2002)
Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro (2003)
Luis Barragán House and Studio (2004)
Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California (2005, 2007)
Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila (2006)
Central University City Campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (2007)

Moldova, Republic of

Struve Geodetic Arc (2005) *

Mongolia

Uvs Nuur Basin (2003) *
Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape (2004)

Montenegro

Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor (1979)
Durmitor National Park (1980, 2005)

Morocco

Medina of Fez (1981)
Medina of Marrakesh (1985)
Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou (1987)
Historic City of Meknes (1996)
Archaeological Site of Volubilis (1997)
Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin) (1997)
Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador) (2001)
Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida) (2004)

Mozambique

Island of Mozambique (1991)

Namibia

Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes (2007)

Nepal

Kathmandu Valley (1979, 2006)
Sagarmatha National Park (1979)
Royal Chitwan National Park (1984)
Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha (1997)

Netherlands

Schokland and Surroundings (1995)
Defence Line of Amsterdam (1996)
Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Netherlands Antilles (1997)
Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout (1997)
Ir.D.F. Woudagemaal (D.F. Wouda Steam Pumping Station) (1998)
Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder) (1999)
Rietveld Schröderhuis (Rietveld Schröder House) (2000)

New Zealand

Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand (1990) ¹⁷
Tongariro National Park (1990, 1993) ^#
New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands (1998)

Nicaragua

Ruins of León Viejo (2000)

Niger

Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (1991)
W National Park of Niger (1996)

Nigeria

Sukur Cultural Landscape (1999)
Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove (2005)

Norway

Bryggen (1979)
Urnes Stave Church (1979)
Røros Mining Town (1980)
Rock Art of Alta (1985)
Vegaøyan -- The Vega Archipelago (2004)
Struve Geodetic Arc (2005) *
West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord (2005)

Oman

Bahla Fort (1987)
Archaeological Sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ayn (1988)
~~Arabian Oryx Sanctuary~~ (1994) Delisted 2007
Land of Frankincense (2000)
Aflaj Irrigation Systems of Oman (2006)

Pakistan

Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro (1980)
Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol (1980)
Taxila (1980)
Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore (1981)
Historical Monuments of Thatta (1981)
Rohtas Fort (1997)

Panama

Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo (1980)
Darien National Park (1981)
Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park (1983, 1990) *
Archaeological Site of Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá (1997, 2003)
Coiba National Park and its Special Zone of Marine Protection (2005)

Paraguay

Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue (1993)

Peru

City of Cuzco (1983)
Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu (1983)
Chavin (Archaeological Site) (1985)
Huascarán National Park (1985) ^#
Chan Chan Archaeological Zone (1986)
Manú National Park (1987)
Historic Centre of Lima (1988, 1991) ¹⁸
Río Abiseo National Park (1990, 1992)
Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Pampas de Jumana (1994)
Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa (2000)

Philippines

Baroque Churches of the Philippines (1993)
Tubbataha Reef Marine Park (1993)
Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (1995)
Historic Town of Vigan (1999)
Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park (1999)

Poland

Cracow's Historic Centre (1978)
Wieliczka Salt Mine (1978)
Auschwitz Birkenau
German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-1945) (1979)
Belovezhskaya Pushcha / Białowieża Forest (1979, 1992) *
Historic Centre of Warsaw (1980)
Old City of Zamość (1992)
Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork (1997)
Medieval Town of Toruń (1997)
Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex and Pilgrimage Park (1999)
Churches of Peace in Jawor and Swidnica (2001)
Wooden Churches of Southern Little Poland (2003)
Muskauer Park / Park Muzakowski (2004) *
Centennial Hall in Wroclaw (2006)

Portugal

Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores (1983)
Convent of Christ in Tomar (1983)
Monastery of Batalha (1983)
Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon (1983)
Historic Centre of Évora (1986)
Monastery of Alcobaça (1989)
Cultural Landscape of Sintra (1995)
Historic Centre of Oporto (1996)
Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the Côa Valley (1998)
Laurisilva of Madeira (1999)
Alto Douro Wine Region (2001)
Historic Centre of Guimarães (2001)
Landscape of the Pico Island Vineyard Culture (2004)

Romania

Danube Delta (1991)
Churches of Moldavia (1993)
Monastery of Horezu (1993)
Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania (1993, 1999) ¹⁹
Dacian Fortresses of the Orastie Mountains (1999)
Historic Centre of Sighişoara (1999)
Wooden Churches of Maramureş (1999)

Russian Federation

Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments (1990)
Kizhi Pogost (1990)
Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow (1990)
Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands (1992)
Historic Monuments of Novgorod and Surroundings (1992)
White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal (1992)
Architectural Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad (1993)
Church of the Ascension, Kolomenskoye (1994)
Virgin Komi Forests (1995)
Lake Baikal (1996)
Volcanoes of Kamchatka (1996, 2001) ²⁰
Golden Mountains of Altai (1998)
Western Caucasus (1999)
Curonian Spit (2000) *
Ensemble of the Ferrapontov Monastery (2000)
Historic and Architectural Complex of the Kazan Kremlin (2000)
Central Sikhote-Alin (2001)
Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbent (2003)
Uvs Nuur Basin (2003) *
Ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent (2004)
Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve (2004)
Historical Centre of the City of Yaroslavl (2005)
Struve Geodetic Arc (2005) *

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park (1999)

Saint Lucia

Pitons Management Area (2004)

Senegal

Serbia

Stari Ras and Sopoćani (1979)
Studenica Monastery (1986)
Medieval Monuments in Kosovo (2004, 2006)
Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius (2007)

Seychelles

Aldabra Atoll (1982)
Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve (1983)

Slovakia

Historic Town of Banská Štiavnica and the Technical Monuments in its Vicinity (1993)
Spišský Hrad and its Associated Cultural Monuments (1993)
Vlkolínec (1993)
Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst (1995, 2000) *
Bardejov Town Conservation Reserve (2000)
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (2007) *

Slovenia

Škocjan Caves (1986) ^#

Solomon Islands

East Rennell (1998)

South Africa

Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai, and Environs (1999, 2005)
Greater St Lucia Wetland Park (1999)
Robben Island (1999)
uKhahlamba / Drakensberg Park (2000)
Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (2003)
Cape Floral Region Protected Areas (2004)
Vredefort Dome (2005)
Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape (2007)

Spain

Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada (1984, 1994) ²¹
Burgos Cathedral (1984)
Historic Centre of Cordoba (1984, 1994) ²²
Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid (1984)
Works of Antoni Gaudí (1984, 2005) ²³
Altamira Cave (1985)
Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias (1985, 1998) ²⁴
Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches (1985, 2007)
Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct (1985)
Santiago de Compostela (Old Town) (1985)
Garajonay National Park (1986)
Historic City of Toledo (1986)
Mudejar Architecture of Aragon (1986, 2001) ²⁵
Old Town of Cáceres (1986)
Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville (1987)
Old City of Salamanca (1988)
Poblet Monastery (1991)
Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida (1993)
Route of Santiago de Compostela (1993)
Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe (1993)
Doñana National Park (1994, 2005)
Historic Walled Town of Cuenca (1996)
La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia (1996)
Las Médulas (1997)
Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona (1997)
Pyrénées - Mont Perdu (1997, 1999) *
San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries (1997)
Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula (1998)
University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares (1998)
Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture (1999)
San Cristóbal de La Laguna (1999)
Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco (2000)
Archaeological Site of Atapuerca (2000)
Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí (2000)
Palmeral of Elche (2000)
Roman Walls of Lugo (2000)
Aranjuez Cultural Landscape (2001)
Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Úbeda and Baeza (2003)
Vizcaya Bridge (2006)
Teide National Park (2007)

Sri Lanka

Ancient City of Polonnaruwa (1982)
Ancient City of Sigiriya (1982)
Sacred City of Anuradhapura (1982)
Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications (1988)
Sacred City of Kandy (1988)
Sinharaja Forest Reserve (1988)
Golden Temple of Dambulla (1991)

Sudan

Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region (2003)

Suriname

Central Suriname Nature Reserve (2000)
Historic Inner City of Paramaribo (2002)

Sweden

Royal Domain of Drottningholm (1991)
Birka and Hovgården (1993)
Engelsberg Ironworks (1993)
Rock Carvings in Tanum (1994)
Skogskyrkogården (1994)
Hanseatic Town of Visby (1995)
Church Village of Gammelstad, Luleå (1996)
Laponian Area (1996)
Naval Port of Karlskrona (1998)
Agricultural Landscape of Southern Öland (2000)
Kvarken Archipelago / High Coast (2000, 2006) *
Mining Area of the Great Copper Mountain in Falun (2001)
Varberg Radio Station (2004)
Struve Geodetic Arc (2005) *

Switzerland

Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair (1983)
Convent of St Gall (1983)
Old City of Berne (1983)
Three Castles, Defensive Wall and Ramparts of the Market-Town of Bellinzone (2000)
Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn (2001, 2007)
Monte San Giorgio (2003)
Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces (2007)

Syrian Arab Republic

Ancient City of Damascus (1979)
Ancient City of Bosra (1980)
Site of Palmyra (1980)
Ancient City of Aleppo (1986)
Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din (2006)

Tanzania, United Republic of

Ngorongoro Conservation Area (1979) ^#
Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara (1981)
Serengeti National Park (1981)
Selous Game Reserve (1982)
Kilimanjaro National Park (1987)
Stone Town of Zanzibar (2000)
Kondoa Rock-Art Sites (2006)

Thailand

Historic City of Ayutthaya (1991)
Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns (1991)
Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries (1991)
Ban Chiang Archaeological Site (1992)
Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex (2005)

the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region (1979, 1980) ²⁶

Togo

Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba (2004)

Tunisia

Amphitheatre of El Jem (1979)
Medina of Tunis (1979)
Site of Carthage (1979)
Ichkeul National Park (1980)
Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis (1985, 1986)
Kairouan (1988)
Medina of Sousse (1988)
Dougga / Thugga (1997)

Turkey

Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia (1985)
Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği (1985)
Historic Areas of Istanbul (1985)
Hattusha: the Hittite Capital (1986)
Nemrut Dağ (1987)
Hierapolis-Pamukkale (1988)
Xanthos-Letoon (1988)
City of Safranbolu (1994)
Archaeological Site of Troy (1998)

Turkmenistan

State Historical and Cultural Park "Ancient Merv" (1999)
Kunya-Urgench (2005)
Parthian Fortresses of Nisa (2007)

Uganda

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (1994)
Rwenzori Mountains National Park (1994)
Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi (2001)

Ukraine

Kiev: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (1990, 2005)
L'viv – the Ensemble of the Historic Centre (1998)
Struve Geodetic Arc (2005) *
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (2007) *

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd (1986)
Durham Castle and Cathedral (1986)
Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast (1986)
Ironbridge Gorge (1986)
St Kilda (1986, 2004, 2005)
Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites (1986)
Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey (1986)
Blenheim Palace (1987)
City of Bath (1987)
Frontiers of the Roman Empire (1987, 2005) * ²⁷
Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey and Saint Margaret's Church (1987)
Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church (1988)
Henderson Island (1988)
Tower of London (1988)
Gough and Inaccessible Islands (1995, 2004) ²⁸
Old and New Towns of Edinburgh (1995)
Maritime Greenwich (1997)
Heart of Neolithic Orkney (1999)
Blaenavon Industrial Landscape (2000)
Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda (2000)
Derwent Valley Mills (2001)
Dorset and East Devon Coast (2001)
New Lanark (2001)
Saltaire (2001)
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (2003)
Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City (2004)
Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape (2006)

United States of America

Mesa Verde National Park (1978)
Yellowstone National Park (1978)
Everglades National Park (1979)
Grand Canyon National Park (1979)
Independence Hall (1979)
Kluane / Wrangell-St Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek (1979, 1992, 1994) ^# * ²⁹
Redwood National and State Parks (1980)
Mammoth Cave National Park (1981)
Olympic National Park (1981)
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site (1982)
La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico (1983)
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (1983)
Statue of Liberty (1984)
Yosemite National Park (1984) ^#
Chaco Culture (1987)
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (1987) ^#
Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville (1987)
Pueblo de Taos (1992)
Carlsbad Caverns National Park (1995)
Waterton Glacier International Peace Park (1995) *

Uruguay

Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento (1995)

Uzbekistan

Itchan Kala (1990)
Historic Centre of Bukhara (1993)
Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz (2000)
Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures (2001)

Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls (1989) ^# *

Zimbabwe

Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas (1984)
Great Zimbabwe National Monument (1986)
Khami Ruins National Monument (1986)
Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls (1989) ^# *
Matobo Hills (2003)

Notes

1. Extension of the "Australian East Coast Temperate and Subtropical Rainforest Park".

name changed 2007 from 'Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves (Australia)'

Renomination of "Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park" under cultural criteria.
The “Belfries of Flanders and Wallonia” which were previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, are part of the transnational property “The Belfries of Belgium and France”.
Extension of "Jaú National Park".
Extension of the "Glacier Bay/Wrangell/St Elias/Kluane" property.
The "Burgess Shale" property, which was previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, is part of the "Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks".
Extension of "The Potala Palace and the Jokhang Temple Monastery, Lhasa" to include the Norbulingka area.
The “Belfries of Flanders and Wallonia” which were previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, are part of the transnational property “The Belfries of Belgium and France”.
The "Chateau and Estate of Chambord", which was previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, is part of the "Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes".
The “Hadrian’s Wall” which was previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, is part of the transnational property “Frontiers of the Roman Empire”.
At the time the property was extended, cultural criterion (iv) was also found applicable.
The "Brihadisvara Temple, Tanjavur", which was previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, is part of the "Great Living Chola Temples".
The “Darjeeling Himalayan Railway” which was previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, is part of the “Mountain Railways of India”.
At the time the property was extended, cultural criterion (iv) was also found applicable.
At the time the property was extended, criteria (iii) and (v) were also found applicable.
The Committee decided to extend the existing cultural property, the "Temple of Ggantija", to include the five prehistoric temples situated on the islands of Malta and Gozo and to rename the property as "The Megalithic Temples of Malta".
The Westland and Mount Cook National Park and the Fiordland National Park, which were previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, are part of the "Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand".
The "Convent Ensemble of San Francisco de Lima", which was previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, is part of the "Historic Centre of Lima".
Extension of "Biertan and its Fortified Church".
At the time the property was extended, natural criterion (iv) was also found applicable.
Extension of the "Alhambra and the Generalife, Granada", to include the Albayzin quarter.
Extension of the "Mosque of Cordoba".
The property “Parque Güell, Palacio Güell and Casa Mila in Barcelona”, previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, is part of the “Works of Antoni Gaudí”.
Extension of the "Churches of the Kingdom of the Asturias", to include monuments in the city of Oviedo.
Extension of the "Mudejar Architecture of Teruel".
In 1979, the Committee decided to inscribe the Ohrid Lake on the World Heritage List under natural criteria (iii). In 1980, this property was extended to include the cultural and historical area, and cultural criteria (i)(iii)(iv) were added.
The “Hadrian’s Wall” which was previously inscribed on the World Heritage List, is part of the transnational property “Frontiers of the Roman Empire”.
Extension of "Gough Island Wildlife Reserve".
Extension of the "Glacier Bay/Wrangell/St Elias/Kluane" property.

*: transboundary property
^#: As for 19 Natural and Mixed Properties inscribed for geological values before 1994, criteria numbering of this property has changed. See Decision 30.COM 8D.1

Legend

Category of site
Cultural site Natural site Mixed site

Site inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger
Cultural site Natural site Mixed site

Saturday, July 05, 2008

World Heritage List

Of late, I have become interested in UNESCO’sWorld Heritage List. According to the UNESCO site, http://whc.unesco.org/en/about/,

These include 660 cultural , 166 natural and 25 mixed properties in 141 States Parties. As of November 2007, 185 States Parties have ratified the World Heritage Convention.

Here is the list, according to the country in which the site is located [http://whc.unesco.org/en/listhttp://whc.unesco.org/en/list]: