Search
Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Convention information.
1.
2007-2008 World Heritage Map: UNESCO World Heritage Centre, National Geographic and Hewlett Packard Partnership
This large format full-color map features the 851 World Heritage sites and brief explanations of the World Heritage Convention and the World Heritage conservation programmes, as well as superb photos of World Heritages sites with explanatory captions. The ...
2.
Periodic Reporting Questionnaire2008-2015 - Section I and II
Filling in the questionnaire requires the gathering of substantial amounts of information. Hence, the time necessary to fill in the questionnaire depends on the availability and accessibility of this information. It is recommended to start the exercise as soon as possible in order to get an overview of the ...
3.
This section provides information about the 1972 World Heritage Convention and UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre. It includes answers to frequently asked questions in the following areas:
World Heritage/The Convention
The World Heritage List
The Nomination of Sites
World Heritage in Danger
The World Heritage Fund
Education
Partnerships
Publications
The World Heritage ...
4.
The World Heritage Convention
The most significant feature of the 1972 World Heritage Convention is that it links together in a single document the concepts of nature conservation and the preservation of cultural properties. The Convention recognizes the way in which people interact with nature, and the fundamental need to preserve the balance between the two.
The ...
5.
new sites added to UNESCO World Heritage List
Nominations to be examined Cultural properties Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque, Renaissance Hydraulic Complex in America (Mexico) Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalu and Monreale (Italy) Baekje Historic Areas (Republic of Korea) Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas) (Jordan) Bet She’arim ...
6.
Terms / Policies
Content Disclaimer
All information provided in UNESCO/WHC website is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute a legal contract between the UNESCO/WHC and any person or entity unless otherwise specified. Information on official UNESCO/WHC website is subject to change without prior notice. Although every reasonable effort is made to ...
7.
Reporting and Monitoring
Inscribing a site on the World Heritage List is not the end of the story. Site managers and local authorities continuously need to work towards managing, monitoring and preserving the World Heritage properties.
State of conservation
States Parties have an obligation to regularly prepare reports about the state of conservation and the various ...
8.
World Heritage List Nominations
Only countries that have signed the World Heritage Convention, pledging to protect their natural and cultural heritage, can submit nomination proposals for properties on their territory to be considered for inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
{{type6
Nominations proposedfor examination
security Only visible to Advisory Bodies ...
10.
World Heritage in Danger
The List of World Heritage in Danger is designed to inform the international community of conditions which threaten the very characteristics for which a property was inscribed on the World Heritage List, and to encourage corrective action. This section describes the List of World Heritage in Danger and gives examples of sites that are inscribed on ...
11.
Arab States
The Arab States region consists of 19 States Parties that have ratified the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, with a total of 88 properties currently inscribed on the World Heritage List.
The Arab States region is rich in its cultural and natural heritage, reflecting a diversity of values and features, ...
12.
Success Stories
The World Heritage Convention is not only 'words on paper' but is above all a useful instrument for concrete action in preserving threatened sites and endangered species.
By recognizing the Outstanding Universal Value of a site, States Parties commit to its preservation and strive to find solutions for its protection. If a site is inscribed on the List of ...
13.
World Heritage
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.
play_arrow
Video provided by the Austrian Commission for UNESCODownload the video
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ...
14.
Africa
The Africa region covers the 47 States Parties of the World Heritage Convention in the Sub-Saharan Africa. In line with the Global Priority Africa of UNESCO, the Africa unit of the World Heritage Centre strives to enhance the capacity of the Africa region in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.
Africa is one of UNESCO’s Global Priorities. ...
15.
The World Heritage Newsletter gives up-to-date accounts of policy-making and issues facing World Heritage.
Available in English and French
The World Heritage Review featuring in-depth articles on cultural and natural World Heritage sites.
Published every two months in English, French and Spanish.
World Heritage Paper Series launched in 2002 in an ...
16.
World Heritage is the official UNESCO publication from the World Heritage Centre featuring in-depth articles on cultural and natural World Heritage sites.
{{replace \"homelist"\}}
17.
Partnerships
World Heritage partnerships for conservation
©
Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in today’s complex world, where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development, unsustainable tourism practices, neglect, natural calamities, pollution, political ...
18.
Case Studies on Climate Change and World Heritage
This publication highlights the impacts of climate change on 26 natural and cultural World Heritage properties, along with ongoing and planned adaptation and mitigation measures. There are five chapters on glaciers, marine biodiversity, terrestrial biodiversity, archaeological sites, and historic cities and settlements, and ...
19.
Funding
The conservation and protection of World Heritage sites require substantial financial resources. Sources of income include the World Heritage Fund, which receives most of its income from cfrom assessed contributions from States Parties to the World Heritage Convention and from voluntary contributions. Other sources of income include profits derived from sales of ...
20.
Launched in 2002 in an effort to publish a series on various World Heritage subjects, the series will include: papers related to World Heritage issues; reports from seminars, workshops and meetings; and manuals aimed at facilitating the implementation of the World Heritage Convention for its various actors. This series is targeted mainly at World Heritage experts, national ...
21.
Periodic ReportingQuestionnaire
Third Cycle exercise | 2018-2024
©
{{replace "periodicText"}}
Access to specific State Party or World Heritage property Periodic Reporting questionnaire is restricted to designated national focal points and World Heritage site managers.
Third Cycle 2018-2024
The questionnaire for the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting was revised ...
22.
Global Strategy
In 1994, the World Heritage Committee launched the Global Strategy for a Representative, Balanced and Credible World Heritage List. Its aim is to ensure that the List reflects the world's cultural and natural diversity of outstanding universal value.
Twenty-two years after the adoption of the 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural ...
23.
World Heritage Emblem
Its use is strictly regulated and determined by the World Heritage Committee, with guidelines for its use defined in Chap. VIII + Annex 14 of the Operational Guidelines. It is protected under the international World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) act.
The World Heritage emblem represents the interdependence of the world’s natural and ...
24.
World Heritage Centre
Established in 1992, the World Heritage Centre is the focal point and coordinator within UNESCO for all matters related to World Heritage.
Ensuring the day-to-day management of the Convention, the Centre organizes the annual sessions of the World Heritage Committee and its Bureau, provides advice to States Parties in the preparation of site ...
25.
A wide range of World Heritage publications, from periodicals to brochures and information kits, books, manuals, reports, and a map of World Heritage sites are available in a variety of languages for adults and young people.
World Heritage publications
Periodicals
Review
Paper Series
More
Brochures & Info kits
Resource Manuals
Other materials
Wall Map ...
26.
World Heritage Centre
Established in 1992, the World Heritage Centre is the focal point and coordinator within UNESCO for all matters related to World Heritage.
Ensuring the day-to-day management of the Convention, the Centre organizes the annual sessions of the World Heritage Committee and its Bureau, provides advice to States Parties in the preparation of site ...
27.
World Heritage Canopy
Heritage Solutions for Sustainable Futures
© UNESCO
Environment and resilience
Climate change
Inclusion and participation
Knowledge and skills
Peace and security
Prosperity and livelihoods
Gender equality
Learn more about the thematic framework
Case studies
{{replace "mapview"}}
Search ...
28.
Useful Websites
Websites related to World Heritage
International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM)
UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC)
Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC)
Websites ...
29.
Governing Bodies -->
47th session of the World Heritage Committee
6-16 July 2025
25th session of the General Assembly of States Parties
2025
Statutory Meetings 47th session (2025) 46th session (2024) 25th GA (2025) 24th GA (2023) All Decisions All meetings
States Parties World Heritage Fund International Assistance
The Centre Who is Who Employment ...
30.
Latin America and the Caribbean
©
From archaeological pre-Hispanic sites, exceptionally well preserved historical centres, breath-taking natural sites with exquisite, biodiverse landscapes, the Region’s World Heritage serves as a basis for further strengthening sustainable development and the role of local communities which is vital for heritage protection and ...
31.
List of factorsaffecting the properties
Within the framework of the revision of the questionnaire of the Periodic Reporting exercise (Section II) in 2008, the World Heritage Committee adopted a standard list of factors affecting the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties.
This list was established following a 2-year consultation process with experts in ...
32.
The Criteria for Selection
To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria.
These criteria are explained in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention which, besides the text of the Convention, is the main working tool on World Heritage. The ...
33.
Terms and Conditions of Use
UNESCO/WHC makes some of its web content available via syndication (XML/RSS/KML/XLS/GEORSS). An RSS icon appears on the syndication page, indicating those sections available for syndication. Whether you register as a subscriber or not, you must observe the following rules
This website and its content is protected by international law. Any ...
34.
Advisory Bodies
Three international non-governmental or intergovernmental organizations are named in the Convention to advise the Committee in its deliberations.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international, non-governmental organization that provides the World Heritage Committee with technical evaluations of natural heritage ...
35.
International Assistance under the World Heritage Convention is a financial assistance granted to the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, in order to help them protect the cultural or natural heritage sites inscribed on the World Heritage List or on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Apply for funding See completed projects
Fund Projects under ...
36.
Periodic Reporting
© UNESCO / Valentino Etowar
What is Periodic Reporting
Periodic Reporting is one of the core conservation monitoring mechanisms of the World Heritage Convention. Every eight years or so, the States Parties are invited to submit to the World Heritage Committee a Periodic Report on the application of the World Heritage Convention in their ...
37.
Europe and North America
51
States Parties
576
Total number of properties
490
Cultural Properties
12
Mixed Properties
74
Natural Properties
35
Transboundary properties
7
Properties in Danger
The Europe and North America region is home to 51 States that have ratified the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World ...
38.
The Data Bank for the UNESCO
The UNESCO Thematic Indicators for Culture in the 2030 Agenda (UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators) is a framework of thematic indicators whose purpose is to measure and monitor the progress of culture’s enabling contribution to the national and local implementation of the Goals and Targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
© ...
39.
Asia & Pacific
Asia & Pacific Region
46
States Parties
297
Properties currently inscribed on the World Heritage List
212
Cultural Properties
12
Mixed Properties
73
Natural Properties
8
Transboundary properties
6
Properties in Danger
Periodic Reporting in Asia & Pacific Region
As a State Party-driven exercise, ...
40.
A Tentative List is an inventory of those properties which each State Party intends to consider for nomination.
Tentative List Submission Format
English French
Consult an example of a Tentative List submission
Tentative List submission Format for Transnational and Transboundary Future Nominations
English French
Guidance on Developing and Revising ...
41.
World Heritage
Policy Compendium
The World Heritage Policy Compendium is a database of World Heritage policies. It is organized around the 5 Strategic Objectives of the Convention - known as the 5Cs, - including Credibility, Conservation, Capacity Building, Communication and Communities, together with a first chapter on General Policies.
Tour guide
© UNESCO
Explore ...
42.
Maps
Get geographical visualization of the conservation of World Heritage since 1979
Map showing properties to be examined in 2025
Map showing all the properties that have been examined since 1979
World Heritage properties impacted by extractive industries over the past 10 years
World Heritage properties at risk due to conflict situations over the ...
43.
Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
The General Conference of UNESCO adopted on 16 November 1972 the Recommendation concerning the Protection at National Level, of the Cultural and Natural Heritage.
Complete Text
Read the complete text of the World Heritage Convention. Download the complete text in the language of your ...
44.
Director of World Heritage
Lazare Eloundou Assomo
Since 2021Originally from Cameroon, Mr Eloundou Assomo is a graduate in architecture (Grenoble School of Architecture, France) and in urban planning (DEA Grenoble 1). He began his career as an associate researcher at the Centre for Earthen Construction of the Grenoble School of Architecture in 1996. He was then in ...
45.
World Heritage Fund
The Fund for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Outstanding Universal Value, called "the World Heritage Fund", was established in 1977 under Article 15 of the World Heritage Convention.
The World Heritage Committee makes decisions on the amount of the budget of the World Heritage Fund as well as on its use. The World Heritage ...
46.
Reactive Monitoring Process
Once a site is inscribed on the World Heritage List (and becomes a “World Heritage property”), the State Party has to ensure that effective and active measures are taken for its protection, conservation and presentation.
To do so, States Parties are encouraged to establish services for the protection, conservation and presentation of the ...