The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has designated 68 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 45 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 55 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.
World Heritage Sites
Site Image Location Criteria Areaha (acre) Year Description Refs Agra Fort Cultural:(iii) 1983Agra Fort is a 16th-century Mughal imperial fortress in Agra. It got its present layout under the Emperor Akbar. The complex contains several palaces (Jahangiri Mahal pictured), audience halls, and two mosques. Stylistically, it is one of the high points of Indo-Islamic architecture, with influences of Persian and Timurid architecture. Ajanta Caves Cultural:(i), (ii), (iii), (vi) 1983The caves at Ajanta represent a collection of Buddhist art from two periods. The first monuments date to the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE and were created by the followers of Theravada Buddhism. Further monuments were added in the 5th and 6th centuries CE, during the Vakataka dynasty, by the followers of Mahayana Buddhism. The monuments are masterpieces of Buddhist art and exerted strong artistic influence in India and the broader region, especially in Java. Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath Cultural:(iii), (vi) 2026This comprises two groups of monuments. The first group includes Buddhist temples, stupas (Dhamek Stupa pictured), and monasteries, as well as the remains of a pillar of Ashoka. They date from the 3rd century BCE to the 12th century CE. The second group is represented by the Chaukhandi Stupa, built in 1588. Ancient City of Polonnaruwa Cultural:(ii), (iii), (vi) 1982Following the destruction of Anuradhapura by the Chola dynasty, Polonnaruwa became the capital of the eponymous kingdom under Vijayabahu I. Several Hindu temples and bronze sculptures remain from the period. The city saw its golden age in the 12th century under Parakramabahu I, when numerous Buddhist monuments and temples were constructed, including the Vatadage (pictured), a temple that used to house the relic of the tooth of Buddha. It declined in the 13th century. Ancient City of Sigiriya Cultural:(ii), (iii), (iv) 1982Sigiriya was the short-lived capital of King Kashyapa, who ruled between 477 and 495, after he had his father King Dhatusena killed. The city is built on and around the "Lion's rock", a granite volcanic plug. After the defeat of Kashyapa by his brother Moggallana I, the site was returned to Buddhist monks who had lived in the grottoes in the area earlier. Today, the site is in ruins, with parts of fortifications and buildings preserved, as well as frescos representing feminine figures. The style of these frescos was influential in the following centuries. Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro Cultural:(ii), (iii) 1980Mohenjo-daro was one of the largest cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation and was the first planned city in South Asia. Located on the banks of the Indus River, it flourished between 2,500 and 1,500 BCE. The city was mostly built with baked brick and followed a strict grid plan. There were public baths, a granary, and an elaborate drainage system. A Buddhist stupa was built over the ruins in the 2nd century CE. The excavations at the site have been ongoing since 1922, with about one third of the city having been explored so far. Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) at Nalanda, Bihar Cultural:(iv), (vi) ; buffer zone 2016Nalanda Mahavihara was a Buddhist ancient higher-learning institution established in the 5th century and lasting until its sacking in the 13th century. However, some archaeological remains also date back to the 3rd century BCE. The remains include shrines and stupas, viharas (residential and educational buildings), and artworks in different materials. Both the architectural solutions and educational approaches were influential in other similar institutions in the broader region. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi Cultural:(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (vi) 1989Sanchi is one of the oldest extant Buddhist sanctuaries and was instrumental in the spread of the religion through the Indian subcontinent. It became important under Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya Empire in the 3rd century BCE. The remains of a pillar from the period are preserved. Stupas (Stupa 1 pictured), palaces, temples, and monasteries are preserved in different states of conservation, mostly dating to the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE. The city declined in importance in the 12th century. Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol Cultural:(iv) 1980The Buddhist monastery of Takht-i-Bahi (pictured) was founded in the 1st century CE and remained in use until the 7th century. Due to its location on the crest of a steep hill, it remained well preserved despite successive invasions of the region. The monastery and the remains of the nearby city of Seri Bahlol from the Kushan period are some of the most important Buddhist monuments in the Gandhara region. The monastery is the most complete Buddhist monastery in Pakistan and comprises several groups of stupas, monastic cells, temples, and secular buildings. Central Highlands of Sri Lanka Natural:(ix), (x) ; buffer zone 2010 Composed by three sites; Horton Plains National Park Knuckles Conservation Forest