Outline of World Heritage
What is a World Heritage Site?
A World Heritage Site is a “Treasure” to be shared by people living all around the world in this present day and to passed down to future generations.
In 1972, the UNESCO Assembly adopted the “Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.” Based on this Convention, “World Heritage” refers to “ruins,” “architecture,” “natural sites,” and other assets that the international community has an obligation to protect and preserve as common property of the world.
In order to register as a “World Heritage Site,” the UNESCO “World Heritage Committee” must recognize that the site is a unique asset that is unparalleled, and has “remarkable and universal value” based on internationally determined criteria. In addition, another required condition is that the site will receive the management it deserves for effective preservation.
World Heritage Site Classifications
World Heritage Sites are classified as “Cultural Site,” “Natural Site,” and “Mixed Site.”
- Natural Sites
- Areas that include terrain, living organisms and landscapes with universal value in terms of academy, value, etc.
As of July 2017 [206 sites] - Cultural Sites
- Sites such as memorials, historic buildings, ruins, and cultural landscapes that have universal value.
As of July 2017 [832 sites] - Mixed Sites
- Sites that have value both as a “Natural Site” and a “Cultural Site”
As of July 2017 [35 sites]