Where Are the World’s UNESCO Heritage Sites?
Key Takeaways:
- Italy leads the world with 62 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, narrowly ahead of China with 61.
- Four European countries rank among the global top five: Italy, France, Germany, and Spain.
- India ranks sixth globally with 45 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, nine more than Mexico (36), the next-highest country outside Europe and East Asia.
From ancient cities and archaeological ruins to forests, mountains, and unique ecosystems, the UNESCO World Heritage List identifies places considered to have outstanding universal value to humanity.
This visualization ranks countries by their number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2026. Transboundary properties are counted for each participating country.
Number of UNESCO Heritage Sites, by Country
The following table shows the number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites by country.
| Country | Number of Heritage Sites |
|---|---|
| Italy | 62 |
| China | 61 |
| France | 56 |
| Germany | 55 |
| Spain | 50 |
| India | 45 |
| Mexico | 36 |
| United Kingdom | 35 |
| Russia | 33 |
| Iran | 30 |
| Japan | 27 |
| United States | 27 |
| Brazil | 26 |
| Canada | 22 |
| Turkey | 22 |
| Australia | 21 |
| Greece | 21 |
| Poland | 18 |
| Czechia | 17 |
| Portugal | 17 |
| South Korea | 17 |
| Belgium | 16 |
| Sweden | 15 |
| Denmark | 13 |
| Netherlands | 13 |
| Peru | 13 |
| Switzerland | 13 |
| Argentina | 12 |
| Austria | 12 |
| Ethiopia | 12 |
| South Africa | 12 |
| Romania | 11 |
| Bulgaria | 10 |
| Croatia | 10 |
| Indonesia | 10 |
| Tunisia | 10 |
| Colombia | 9 |
| Cuba | 9 |
| Israel | 9 |
| Morocco | 9 |
| Thailand | 9 |
| Vietnam | 9 |
| Finland | 8 |
| Hungary | 8 |
| Jordan | 8 |
| Kenya | 8 |
| Norway | 8 |
| Saudi Arabia | 8 |
| Slovakia | 8 |
| Sri Lanka | 8 |
| Ukraine | 8 |
| Uzbekistan | 8 |
| Algeria | 7 |
| Bolivia | 7 |
| Chile | 7 |
| Egypt | 7 |
| Kazakhstan | 7 |
| Lebanon | 7 |
| Mongolia | 7 |
| Senegal | 7 |
| Tanzania | 7 |
| Iraq | 6 |
| Malaysia | 6 |
| Pakistan | 6 |
| Palestine | 6 |
| Philippines | 6 |
| Syria | 6 |
| Azerbaijan | 5 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5 |
| Cambodia | 5 |
| Cote d'Ivoire | 5 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 5 |
| Ecuador | 5 |
| Libya | 5 |
| Lithuania | 5 |
| Oman | 5 |
| Panama | 5 |
| Serbia | 5 |
| Slovenia | 5 |
| Tajikistan | 5 |
| Turkmenistan | 5 |
| Yemen | 5 |
| Zimbabwe | 5 |
| Albania | 4 |
| Belarus | 4 |
| Burkina Faso | 4 |
| Costa Rica | 4 |
| Georgia | 4 |
| Guatemala | 4 |
| Laos | 4 |
| Mali | 4 |
| Montenegro | 4 |
| Nepal | 4 |
| Armenia | 3 |
| Bahrain | 3 |
| Bangladesh | 3 |
| Benin | 3 |
| Cameroon | 3 |
| Cyprus | 3 |
| Iceland | 3 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 3 |
| Latvia | 3 |
| Madagascar | 3 |
| Malawi | 3 |
| Malta | 3 |
| New Zealand | 3 |
| Niger | 3 |
| North Korea | 3 |
| Sudan | 3 |
| Suriname | 3 |
| Uganda | 3 |
| United Arab Emirates | 3 |
| Uruguay | 3 |
| Venezuela | 3 |
| Afghanistan | 2 |
| Botswana | 2 |
| Central African Republic | 2 |
| Chad | 2 |
| Estonia | 2 |
| Gabon | 2 |
| Gambia | 2 |
| Ghana | 2 |
| Honduras | 2 |
| Ireland | 2 |
| Jamaica | 2 |
| Mauritania | 2 |
| Mauritius | 2 |
| Mozambique | 2 |
| Myanmar | 2 |
| Namibia | 2 |
| Nicaragua | 2 |
| Nigeria | 2 |
| North Macedonia | 2 |
| Republic of the Congo | 2 |
| Rwanda | 2 |
| Seychelles | 2 |
| Vatican City | 2 |
| Andorra | 1 |
| Angola | 1 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 1 |
| Barbados | 1 |
| Belize | 1 |
| Cabo Verde | 1 |
| Comoros | 1 |
| Dominica | 1 |
| Dominican Republic | 1 |
| El Salvador | 1 |
| Eritrea | 1 |
| Fiji | 1 |
| Guinea | 1 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 1 |
| Haiti | 1 |
| Kiribati | 1 |
| Lesotho | 1 |
| Luxembourg | 1 |
| Marshall Islands | 1 |
| Micronesia | 1 |
| Moldova | 1 |
| Palau | 1 |
| Papua New Guinea | 1 |
| Paraguay | 1 |
| Qatar | 1 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1 |
| Saint Lucia | 1 |
| San Marino | 1 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 1 |
| Sierra Leone | 1 |
| Singapore | 1 |
| Solomon Islands | 1 |
| South Sudan | 1 |
| Togo | 1 |
| Vanuatu | 1 |
| Zambia | 1 |
Beyond the two leaders, France (56), Germany (55), and Spain (50) round out the top five. India follows in sixth with 45 sites.
Why Do Europe and Asia Dominate the List?
Italy’s position reflects an unusually dense concentration of cultural heritage spanning Roman antiquity, medieval cities, and Renaissance art and architecture. Its list also includes natural properties and cultural landscapes, showing that UNESCO recognition extends well beyond famous monuments.
China’s 61 sites similarly span thousands of years of history alongside major natural landscapes. Along with imperial and religious heritage and archaeological sites, its properties include biodiversity hotspots, karst formations, and mountain regions.
More broadly, Europe and Asia together account for over 70% of the sites shown on the map. UNESCO requires a property to demonstrate “outstanding universal value” and satisfy at least one of 10 selection criteria, ranging from masterpieces of human creative genius to exceptional habitats for biodiversity.
What Makes a World Heritage Site?
UNESCO divides World Heritage properties into cultural, natural, and mixed sites. Cultural heritage can include monuments, archaeological sites, and landscapes shaped by people, while natural heritage encompasses exceptional geological formations, ecosystems, habitats, and areas of remarkable natural beauty.
Mixed sites qualify for both cultural and natural heritage, such as Machu Picchu. Countries nominate sites for consideration, but inscription is ultimately decided by the World Heritage Committee following evaluations by international advisory bodies.
What Happens When Heritage Is in Danger?
World Heritage status does not guarantee a site’s survival. Conflict, disasters, and development can threaten the qualities that made a property globally significant.
In 2026, UNESCO added six sites to its List of World Heritage in Danger, including three nominated through an emergency procedure. Placement on the danger list can unlock technical and financial assistance and strengthen international conservation support.
Protecting these places is about more than maintaining a tourism destination or historical landmark. Conservation helps ensure that future generations can experience physical evidence of human history and the natural systems that form part of humanity’s shared heritage.
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