List of World Heritage Sites in Southern Asia


The UNESCO has designated 61 World Heritage Sites in six countries 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.
In this region, India is home to the most inscribed sites with 38 sites. Besides India, the first sites from the Country Nepal were the Sagarmatha National Park and Kathmandu Valley. Nepal has 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. 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 and four for natural heritage. Some sites, designated "mixed sites," represent both cultural and natural heritage. In Southern Asia, there are 48 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

World Heritage Sites

SiteImageLocationCriteriaArea
ha 		YearDescriptionRefs
Agra FortCultural:
—1983
Ajanta CavesCultural:
,,, 		—1983
Ancient City of PolonnaruwaCultural:
,, 		—1982
Ancient City of SigiriyaCultural:
,, 		—1982
Archaeological Ruins at MoenjodaroCultural:
, 		1980
Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, BiharCultural:
, 		; buffer zone 2016
Buddhist Monuments at SanchiCultural:
,,,, 		—1989
Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-BahlolCultural:
—1980
Central Highlands of Sri LankaNatural:
, 		; buffer zone 2010
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological ParkCultural:
,,, 		; buffer zone 2004
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Cultural:
, 		2004
Chitwan National ParkNatural:
,, 		1984
Churches and Convents of GoaCultural:
,, 		—1986
Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan ValleyCultural:
,,,, 		2003
Elephanta CavesCultural:
, 		—1987
Ellora CavesCultural:
,, 		—1983
Fatehpur SikriCultural:
,, 		—1986
Fort and Shalamar Gardens in LahoreCultural:
,, 		—1981The site has been listed as endangered since 2000 because of the destruction of historic water tanks in 1999 to widen a road and deteriorating perimeter walls of the Garden, listed on request of the Pakistan government
Golden Temple of DambullaCultural:
, 		—1991
Great Himalayan National ParkNatural:
2014
Great Living Chola TemplesTamil Nadu, Cultural:
, 		; buffer zone 1987Composed by three sites:
Group of Monuments at HampiCultural:,, —1986
Group of Monuments at MahabalipuramCultural:
,,, 		—1984
Group of Monuments at PattadakalCultural:
, 		; buffer zone 1987
Hill Forts of RajasthanCultural:
, 		—2013
Historic City of AhmadabadCultural:
, 		535.7 ; buffer zone 395 2017
Historical Monuments at Makli, ThattaCultural:
—1981
Historic Mosque City of BagerhatCultural:
—1985
Humayun's Tomb, DelhiCultural:
, 		—1993
Jaipur CityCultural:
,, 		—2019
Kathmandu ValleyCultural:
,, 		; buffer zone 1979The site has been listed as endangered 2003–2007 due to the partial or substantial loss of the traditional elements of six out of seven monument zones and resulting general loss of authenticity and integrity of the whole property.
Kaziranga National ParkNatural:
, 		1985
Keoladeo National ParkNatural:
1985
Khajuraho Group of MonumentsCultural:
, 		—1986
Khangchendzonga National ParkMixed:
,,, 		178,400 ; buffer zone 114,712 2016
Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord BuddhaCultural:
, 		; buffer zone 1997
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh GayaCultural:
,,,, 		2002
Manas Wildlife SanctuaryNatural:
,, 		1985
Minaret and Archaeological Remains of JamCultural:
,, 		2002The site has been listed as endangered since its inscription due to lack of legal protection, lack of protection measure or management plan and the generally poor condition of the site.
Mountain Railways of IndiaCultural:
, 		; buffer zone 1999Composed by three lines:
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National ParksNatural:
, 		; buffer zone 1988
Old Town of Galle and its FortificationsCultural:
—1988
Qutb Minar and its Monuments, DelhiCultural:
—1993
Rani-ki-Vav at Patan, GujaratCultural:
4.68 ha2014
Red Fort ComplexCultural:
,, 		; buffer zone 2007
Rock Shelters of BhimbetkaCultural:
, 		; buffer zone 2003
Rohtas FortCultural:
, 		—1997
Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at PaharpurCultural:
,, 		—1985
Sacred City of AnuradhapuraCultural:
,, 		—1982
Sacred City of KandyCultural:
, 		—1988
Sagarmatha National ParkNatural:
1979
Sinharaja Forest ReserveNatural:
, 		1988
Sundarbans National ParkNatural:
, 		1987
Sun Temple, KonârakCultural:
,, 		1984
Taj MahalCultural:
—1983
TaxilaCultural:
, 		—1980
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern MovementCultural:
—2016
The Jantar Mantar, JaipurCultural:
, 		; buffer zone 2010
The SundarbansNatural:
, 		1997
Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of MumbaiCultural:
, 		66.34; buffer zone 378.782018
Western GhatsNatural:
, 		2012

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'.


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