The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in 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. Cameroon accepted the convention on December 7, 1987, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list. , Cameroon has three World Heritage Sites, one of which – Sangha Trinational – is transnational and shared with the Central African Republic and Republic of the Congo.

World Heritage Sites UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural.

+ Site Image Location (region)Year listed DescriptionDja Faunal ReserveEast Region, South Region1987 407; ix, x (natural)This is one of the largest and best-protected rainforests in Africa, with 90% of its area left undisturbed. Almost completely surrounded by the Dja River, which forms a natural boundary, the reserve is especially noted for its biodiversity and a wide variety of primates. It contains 107 mammal species, five of which are threatened. Text was copied from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO (CC BY 3.0 IGO) license.Sangha Trinational East Region2012 1380rev; ix, x (natural)Situated in the north-western Congo Basin, where Cameroon, Central African Republic and Congo meet, the site encompasses three contiguous national parks totalling around 750,000 ha. Much of the site is unaffected by human activity and features a wide range of humid tropical forest ecosystems with rich flora and fauna, including Nile crocodiles and goliath tigerfish, a large predator. Forest clearings support herbaceous species and Sangha is home to considerable populations of forest elephants, critically endangered western lowland gorilla, and endangered chimpanzee. The site’s environment has preserved the continuation of ecological and evolutionary processes on a huge scale and great biodiversity, including many endangered animal species. Text was copied from this source, which is available under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO (CC BY 3.0 IGO) license.Diy-Gid-Biy Cultural Landscape of the Mandara Mountains Far North Region2025 1745; iii (cultural)Located in the Far North Region of Cameroon, the property includes sixteen archaeological sites across seven villages. Known as Diy-Gid-Biy (meaning “Ruin of the Chief’s Residence” in the Mafa language), these dry-stone architectural structures were likely built between the 12th and 17th centuries. While their original builders remain unknown, the area has been inhabited by the Mafa people since the 15th century. The surrounding landscape features agricultural terraces, homes, tombs, places of worship, and artisan activities, reflecting a long-standing cultural and spiritual connection between the people and their environment.

Tentative List In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. , Cameroon has listed seventeen properties on its tentative list.

+ Site Image Location (region) Year listed UNESCO criteria DescriptionBoumba Bek and Nki National Parks ComplexEast Region2018vii, ix, xBouba Njida National ParkNorth Region2018ix, x (natural)Campo Ma'an National ParkSouth Region2018vii, viii, ix, x (natural)Waza National ParkFarth North Region2018ix, x (natural)The Bahut chiefdomNorthwest Region2018i, iii, v, vi (cultural)Tower of Goto GoulfeyFarth North Region2018i, iii (cultural)Bidzar petroglyphsNorth Region 2018i (cultural)Megaliths of DjohongCentre Region2018i, iv, v (cultural)Megaliths of SaaCentre Region2018iii, iv, v (cultural)Njock Rail TunnelsCentre Region2018iv, vi (cultural)Palace of Rey BoubaNorth Region2018i, ii, iii (cultural)Lobé Falls Cultural LandscapeSouth Region2018v, vi, vii (mixed)Shum Laka Archaeological SiteNorthwest Region2018iii, iv, v (cultural)“Grandes Cases” of the traditional chiefdoms of the Grassfields regionNorth Region, Northwest Region2018ii (cultural)Lake Chad cultural landscapeFar North Region2018ii, iii, vii, ix (mixed)Cross River-Korup-TakamandaSouthwest Region2020ix, x (natural)Bimbia and associated sitesSouthwest Region2020iii, vi (cultural)

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