What is World Heritage?

World Heritage is the cultural and natural sites that are the heritage of humanity. The safeguarding of these sites is the shared responsibility of all. The World Heritage Convention for the protection of the World's Natural and Cultural Heritage was adopted by UNESCO in 1972 and has been ratified by 186 states. There are 890 World Heritage Sites worldwide.

The World Heritage List contains a diverse set of sites from around the world. Some examples are the Grand Canyon, Taj Mahal, Victoria Falls, Geirangerfjorden and Machu Picchu.