Cultural Criteria

The program catalogues, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or

natural importance to the common heritage of humanity. Under certain conditions,
listed sites can obtain funds from the World Heritage Fund. The program was
founded with the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and
Natural Heritage, which was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16
November 1972. Since then, 190 states parties have ratified the Convention, making
it one of the most adhered to international instruments. Only the Bahamas,
Liechtenstein, Nauru, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu are not Party to
the Convention.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place (such as a forest, mountain, lake, island,
desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that is listed by the UNESCO as of
special cultural or physical significance. The list is maintained by the international
World Heritage Program administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee,
composed of 21 states' parties which are elected by their General Assembly.
Selection criteria
Cultural criteria


1.Represents a masterpiece of human creative genius.

2. Exhibits an important interchange of human values, over a span of time, or within a cultural area of the
world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning, or landscape design.

3. Bears a unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has
disappeared.

4. Is an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural, or technological ensemble or landscape which
illustrates a significant stage in human history.

5. Is an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of
a culture, or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the
impact of irreversible change.

6.Is directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and
literary works of outstanding universal significance.
Natural criteria
1. Contains superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and
aesthetic importance.

2. Is an outstanding example representing major stages of Earth's history, including the
record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of
landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features.

3. Is an outstanding example representing significant on-going ecological and
biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water,
coastal and marine ecosystems, and communities of plants and animals.

4. Contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation
of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding
universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.
Statistics of Top ten countries with most heritage sites
in the world.