The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designates World Heritage Sites of outstanding universal value to cultural or natural heritage which have been nominated by countries which are signatories to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage. To make a country's historical sites eligible for designation as a World Heritage Sites, the country needs to sign the World Heritage Convention. World Heritage Sites are selected during the annual sessions of the World Heritage Committee. The first World Heritage Site in the list is the Galápagos Islands. The 24th session in 2000 inscribed the most with 61 entries, while the 13th session in 1989 only inscribed seven sites.
1978 (1st list - 2nd session) (F) denotes the first site given World Heritage Status from its respective country
12 sites (8 cultural, 4 natural)Host: CountrySiteCategoryUNESCO Reference no. L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site (F) Cultural 4 Nahanni National Park Natural 24 City of Quito Cultural 2 Galápagos Islands (F) Natural 1 Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela Cultural 18 Simien National Park (F) Natural 9 () Aachen Cathedral (F) Cultural 3 Historic Centre of Kraków (F) Cultural 29 Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines Cultural 32 Island of Gorée (F) Cultural 26 Mesa Verde National Park Cultural 27 Yellowstone National Park (F) Natural 28
1979 (3rd session) 45 sites (34 cultural, 8 natural, 3 mixed)Host: CountrySiteCategoryUNESCO Reference no. () (F) Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region Mixed 99 Białowieża Forest Natural 33 Boyana Church (F) Cultural 42 Madara Rider Cultural 43 Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo Cultural 45 Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak Cultural 44 Dinosaur Provincial Park Natural 71 Kluane / Wrangell–St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek Natural 72 () Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian Cultural 97 Old City of Dubrovnik (F) Cultural 95 Plitvice Lakes National Park Natural 98 () Virunga National Park (F) Natural 63 Abu Mena Cultural 90 Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis (F) Cultural 87 Historic Cairo Cultural 89 Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur Cultural 86 Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae Cultural 88 Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region Cultural 19 Chartres Cathedral Cultural 81 Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay Cultural 80 Palace and Park of Versailles (F) Cultural 83 Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley Cultural 85 Vézelay, Church and Hill Cultural 84 Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions (F) Cultural 34 Antigua Guatemala Cultural 65 Tikal National Park (F) Mixed 64 Meidan Eimam, Esfahan Cultural 115 Persepolis Cultural 114 Tchogha Zanbil (F) Cultural 113 Rock Drawings in Valcamonica (F) Cultural 94 () Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor (F) Cultural 125 Kathmandu Valley (F) Cultural 121 Sagarmatha National Park Natural 120 Bryggen Cultural 59 Urnes Stave Church (F) Cultural 58 Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940–1945) Cultural 31 () Stari Ras and Sopoćani (F) Cultural 96 Ancient City of Damascus (F) Cultural 20 Ngorongoro Conservation Area (F) Mixed 39 Amphitheatre of El Jem Cultural 38 Archaeological Site of Carthage Cultural 37 Medina of Tunis (F) Cultural 36 Everglades National Park Natural 76 Grand Canyon National Park Natural 75 Independence Hall Cultural 78
1980 (4th session) 27 sites (22 cultural, 5 natural)Host: CountrySiteCategoryUNESCO Reference no. Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad (F) Cultural 102 Historic Town of Ouro Preto (F) Cultural 124 Paphos (F) Cultural 79 () Garamba National Park Natural 136 Kahuzi-Biega National Park Natural 137 Aksum Cultural 15 Lower Valley of the Awash Cultural 10 Lower Valley of the Omo Cultural 17 Tiya Cultural 12 Asante Traditional Buildings Cultural 35 (F) Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura Cultural 91 Maya Site of Copan (F) Cultural 129 Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with 'The Last Supper' by Leonardo da Vinci Cultural 93 City of Valletta (F) Cultural 131 Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum Cultural 130 Megalithic Temples of Malta Cultural 132 () Durmitor National Park Natural 100 Røros Mining Town and the Circumference Cultural 55 Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro (F) Cultural 138 Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol Cultural 140 Taxila Cultural 139 Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo (F) Cultural 135 Historic Centre of Warsaw Cultural 30 Ancient City of Bosra Cultural 22 Site of Palmyra Cultural 23 Ichkeul National Park Natural 8 Redwood National and State Parks Natural 134
1981 (5th session) 26 sites (15 cultural, 9 natural, 2 mixed)Host: CountrySiteCategoryUNESCO Reference no. Los Glaciares National Park (F) Natural 145 Great Barrier Reef (F) Natural 154 Kakadu National Park Mixed 147 Willandra Lakes Region Mixed 167 Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Cultural 158 SG̱ang Gwaay Cultural 157 Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (F) Natural 155 Amiens Cathedral Cultural 162 Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments Cultural 164 Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay Cultural 165 Palace and Park of Fontainebleau Cultural 160 Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the 'Triumphal Arch' of Orange Cultural 163 () Speyer Cathedral Cultural 168 Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square Cultural 169 Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quirigua Cultural 149 Jerusalem Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls (F) Cultural 148 Medina of Fez (F) Cultural 170 Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore Cultural 171 Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta Cultural 143 Darien National Park Natural 159 Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary Natural 25 Niokolo-Koba National Park Natural 153 Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara Cultural 144 Serengeti National Park Natural 156 Mammoth Cave National Park Natural 150 Olympic National Park Natural 151
1982 (6th session) 24 sites (17 cultural, 5 natural, 2 mixed)Host: CountrySiteCategoryUNESCO Reference no. Djémila Cultural 191 M'Zab Valley Cultural 188 Tassili n'Ajjer Mixed 179 Timgad Cultural 194 Tipasa Cultural 193 Lord Howe Island Group Natural 186 Tasmanian Wilderness Mixed 181 Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda Cultural 189 Taï National Park Natural 195 Old Havana and its Fortification System (F) Cultural 204 From the Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, the Production of Open-pan Salt Cultural 203 National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers (F) Cultural 180 Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve Natural 196 Historic Centre of Florence Cultural 174 Archaeological Site of Cyrene Cultural 190 Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna (F) Cultural 183 Archaeological Site of Sabratha Cultural 184 Aldabra Atoll (F) Natural 185 Ancient City of Polonnaruwa (F) Cultural 201 Ancient City of Sigiriya Cultural 202 Sacred City of Anuradhapura Cultural 200 Selous Game Reserve Natural 199 Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site Cultural 198 () Old Walled City of Shibam (F) Cultural 192
1983 (7th session) 29 sites (19 cultural, 9 natural, 1 mixed)Host: CountrySiteCategoryUNESCO Reference no. Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of São Miguel das Missões (Brazil) Cultural 275 Ancient City of Nessebar Cultural 217 Pirin National Park Natural 225 Rila Monastery Cultural 216 Srebarna Nature Reserve Natural 219 Wood Buffalo National Park Natural 256 (F) Talamanca Range–La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park Natural 205 Comoé National Park Natural 227 Sangay National Park Natural 260 Abbey Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe Cultural 230 Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve Natural 258 Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance in Nancy Cultural 229 () Wieskirche Cultural 271 Agra Fort Cultural 251 Ajanta Caves (F) Cultural 242 Ellora Caves Cultural 243 Taj Mahal Cultural 252 City of Cuzco Cultural 273 Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu (F) Mixed 274 Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores Cultural 206 Convent of Christ in Tomar Cultural 265 Monastery of Batalha Cultural 264 Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon (F) Cultural 263 Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve Natural 261 Abbey of St Gall (F) Cultural 268 Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair Cultural 269 Old City of Berne Cultural 267 Great Smoky Mountains National Park Natural 259 () (F) La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in Puerto Rico Cultural 266
1984 (8th session) 22 sites (15 cultural, 7 natural)Host: CountrySiteCategoryUNESCO Reference no. Iguazu National Park Natural 303 Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks Natural 304 Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena (F) Cultural 285 () Salonga National Park Natural 280 () Castles of Augustusburg and Falkenlust at Brühl Cultural 288 Vatican City Cultural 286 Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram Cultural 249 Sun Temple, Konârak Cultural 246 Anjar Cultural 293 Baalbek Cultural 294 Byblos Cultural 295 Tyre (F) Cultural 299 Lake Malawi National Park (F) Natural 289 Chitwan National Park Natural 284 Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín, Granada Cultural 314 Burgos Cathedral (F) Cultural 316 Historic Centre of Cordoba Cultural 313 Monastery and Site of the Escurial, Madrid Cultural 318 Works of Antoni Gaudí Cultural 320 Statue of Liberty Cultural 307 Yosemite National Park Natural 308 Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas (F) Natural 302
1985 (9th session) 30 sites (25 cultural, 4 natural, 1 mixed)Host: CountrySiteCategoryUNESCO Reference no. Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat Cultural 321 Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur (F) Cultural 322 Royal Palaces of Abomey (F) Cultural 323 Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia Cultural 309 Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas Cultural 334 Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari Cultural 359 Historic District of Old Québec Cultural 300 Painted Churches in the Troodos Region Cultural 351 Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct) Cultural 344 () St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim Cultural 187 Kaziranga National Park Natural 337 Keoladeo National Park Natural 340 Manas Wildlife Sanctuary Natural 338 Hatra (F) Cultural 277 Petra (F) Cultural 326 Quseir Amra Cultural 327 Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus Cultural 287 Medina of Marrakesh Cultural 331 Rock Art of Alta Cultural 352 Chavín (Archaeological Site) Cultural 330 Huascarán National Park Natural 333 Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain Cultural 310 Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias Cultural 312 Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches Cultural 348 Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct Cultural 311 Santiago de Compostela (Old Town) Cultural 347 Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis Cultural 332 Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia Mixed 357 Great Mosque and Hospital of Divriği Cultural 358 Historic Areas of Istanbul (F) Cultural 356
1986 (10th session) 29 sites (23 cultural, 5 natural, 1 mixed)Host: