A World Heritage Site is a place (such as a building, city, complex, desert,

forest, island, lake, monument, or mountain) that is listed by the United

Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being
of special cultural or physical significance.[1] The list is maintained by the
international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCOWorld
Heritage Committee, composed of 21 UNESCO member states which are
elected by the General Assembly.[2]
The programme 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's Cultural and Natural Heritage,
[3]
which was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16
November 1972. Since then, 191 states parties have ratified the Convention,
making it one of the most adhered to international instruments.
Only Liechtenstein, Nauru, Somalia, South Sudan, Timor-Leste,
and Tuvalu are not Party to the Convention.
As of July 2015, 1031 sites are listed: 802 cultural, 197 natural, and 32 mixed
properties, in 163 states parties.[4][5] According to the sites ranked by
country, Italy is home to the greatest number of World Heritage Sites with 51
sites, followed
by China(48), Spain (44), France (41), Germany (40), Mexico (33),
and India (32). UNESCO references each World Heritage Site with an
identification number; however, new inscriptions often include previous sites
now listed as part of larger descriptions. Consequently, the identification
numbers exceed 1,200, even though there are fewer on the list.While each
World Heritage Site remains part of the legal territory of the state wherein
the site is located, UNESCO considers it in the interest of the international
community to preserve each site.