Travel 101: What is a World Heritage Site and how many are in North America?

July 18, 9:36 PMNorth American Travel ExaminerBob Riel

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The cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde are a World Heritage Site in North America.    Photo by Bob Riel. 

Most everyone has heard of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. But how many people know the criteria for gaining the World Heritage distinction, or know some of the North American locations that are on the UNESCO list?

A World Heritage Site is a place that represents the cultural and natural heritage of the world. It must be considered to have “outstanding universal value” and has to meet at least one of 10 other criteria, such as to be a “masterpiece of human creative genius,” bear testimony to “a cultural tradition or to a civilization,” or have “exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.”

UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) began designating places as World Heritage sites in 1972. That is when the United Nations approved the “Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage.” Today, sites are nominated by individual countries with final decisions made by 21 members of the World Heritage Committee during an annual meeting.

There are currently 890 locations in 148 countries that have earned the right to be called a World Heritage Site. This includes 689 cultural destinations, 176 natural sites, and 25 mixed properties. Some of the more famous cultural places around the world are the Egyptian Pyramids and the Great Wall of China, while natural sites include the Galapagos Islands and the Great Barrier Reef.

UNESCO also maintains a list of 30 World Heritages Sites that it considers endangered. Although it is rare, there have been instances of sites losing their designation if the World Heritage Committee decides they haven’t been adequately protected.

Of the 890 World Heritage Sites worldwide, 64 of them are in North America. This encompasses 20 locations in the United States, 15 in Canada, and 29 in Mexico. In the days ahead, we’ll take a closer look at these North American sites.