List of World Heritage Sites in Southern Asia

The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has designated 66 World Heritage Sites in six countries (also called "state parties") of Southern Asia: Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Bhutan and Maldives, which are also located within the region, do not have any World Heritage Sites.

The first sites recognised as World Heritage Sites in South Asia were the Sagarmatha National Park and the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, inscribed in 1979. Nepal has currently a total of four sites. Sri Lanka has eight sites and Bangladesh has three sites. Pakistan has six sites. Two sites are located in Afghanistan, both of which are enlisted as endangered. India is home to most of the inscribed sites in the region (sixth globally) with 43 sites. Each year, UNESCO's World Heritage Committee may inscribe new sites on the list or delist sites that no longer meet the criteria. Selection is based on ten criteria: six for cultural heritage (i–vi) and four for natural heritage (vii–x). Some sites, designated "mixed sites", represent both cultural and natural heritage. In Southern Asia, there are 53 cultural, 12 natural, and 1 mixed site.

The World Heritage Committee may also specify that a site is endangered, citing "conditions which threaten the very characteristics for which a property was inscribed on the World Heritage List." Two sites in this region are currently listed as endangered.

Legend

Site; named after the World Heritage Committee's official designation

Location; at city, regional, or provincial level and geocoordinates

Criteria; as defined by the World Heritage Committee

Area; in hectares and acres. If available, the size of the buffer zone has been noted as well. A value of zero implies that no data has been published by UNESCO

Year; during which the site was inscribed to the World Heritage List

Description; brief information about the site, including reasons for qualifying as an endangered site, if applicable

World Heritage Sites

UNESCO sites for South Asia compared to other Asian regions

The number of UNESCO sites of South Asia is contrasted by the number of sites Southeast and East Asia. South Asian countries are noted with 'SA' and in brown colour.

Notes

References

General

"World Heritage Committee: Twenty-fourth session" (PDF). UNESCO. Retrieved 26 June 2011.
"World Heritage Committee: Twenty-seventh session" (PDF). UNESCO. Retrieved 26 June 2011.