World Heritage List

The World Heritage List is a register maintained by UNESCO, the United Nations agency for education, science, and culture. It includes cultural and natural sites designated as possessing "outstanding universal value," meaning their significance exceeds national boundaries.

The legal basis for the list is the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in 1972. States that are party to the convention (member states) undertake to protect sites within their territory, while the international community can provide technical and financial assistance when needed. The first registrations occurred in the late 1970s, and the number of sites has since grown to over twelve hundred.

Registration process

Each member state first compiles a tentative list of sites it proposes to submit. It then prepares a detailed application file. The file is evaluated by advisory bodies: ICOMOS, which assesses cultural sites; IUCN, which assesses natural sites; and ICCROM, which specializes in conservation and restoration. Final decisions rest with the World Heritage Committee, composed of representatives from member states serving set terms, meeting annually.

Criteria for evaluation

The Committee applies a set of criteria to assess applications. Some concern cultural value—such as distinctive human creativity, evidence of lost civilizations, or examples of historical architecture. Others concern natural value—such as outstanding natural beauty, evidence of Earth's history, biological diversity, or habitats threatened with extinction. A site must meet at least one criterion and demonstrate authenticity and integrity, with an adequate management and protection plan in place. Sites meeting both cultural and natural criteria are called mixed sites.

Heritage in danger

UNESCO also maintains a separate list called the List of World Heritage in Danger. A site is added when it faces threats such as armed conflict, natural disasters, poor construction, climate change, or neglect. The purpose of this list is to mobilize attention and international assistance. If conditions improve, a site can be removed from the danger list. In rare cases, the Committee may delete a site from the main list entirely if its outstanding value has been lost.