Asia's World Heritage Sites

Asia accounts for an astonishing variety of World Heritage Sites, those precious landmarks of
natural, historical, and/or cultural value designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). These are among the most sought-after destinations on
Asia toursand for good reason.
The Asia and Oceania region includes more than 200 such sites, with many more under
consideration to be added to the list. Given the continents unrivaled geographic and cultural
diversity, that wealth of special places is no surprise.
World Heritage Sites
The roots of UNESCOs World Heritage initiative are in the 1954 construction in Egypt of the
famous Aswan Dam, a project that threatened a plethora of archaeological sites. The
organizations successful fundraising effort to safely remove and restore the imperiled treasures
helped eventually lead to the ratification, in the early 1970s, of the Convention Concerning the
Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
This international agreement helped steer UNESCOs inventory of Earths valuable places,
which are nominated by different countries and evaluated based on a variety of criteria.
Asias Natural and Cultural Landmarks
From Buddhist temples to elephant-prowled parks, Asias World Heritage Sites are strikingly
diverse but all remarkable. Indias many locations include the renowned Ellora Caves, a vast
network of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist temples and artwork excavated into a basalt cliff between
A.D. 600 and A.D. 1000. Theres also Sundarbans National Park (shared with Bangladesh),
which protects a biodiverse mangrove complex along the Bay of Bengalperhaps the worlds
preeminent refuge for the tiger.
Japans share ranges from the astonishing Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto to that
postcard-perfect Mount Fuji, dedicated for both its natural and cultural attributes only in 2013.
China, meanwhile, boasts the second greatest number of World Heritage Sites of any country
(Italy has the most). China, of course, lays claim to the worlds oldest continuous civilization, so
theres plenty of incredible human heritage to celebrate. These include Beijings Forbidden
City, the longtime hub of Chinese imperial power during the Ming and Qing dynasties; the
world-famous Great Wall of China, built over a vast sweep of time and a vast sweep of terrain to
protect the state against invasion; and the Cultural Landscape of the Honghe Hani Rice
Terraces. There are also plenty of ecologically significant sites, many of whichsuch as the
Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries or Mount Huangshanare inseparable from cultural identity
as well.
Asia tours introduce the visitor to incredible dimensions of human history and culture, and throw
in jaw-dropping landscapes as a bonus. The UNESCO World Heritage initiative ensures the
world appreciatesand protectsthese treasures shared by all of humanity.
SOURCES
(1) http://whc.unesco.org/en/list
(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Heritage_Site