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The United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the
identification, protection and preservation of cultural
and natural heritage around the world considered to be of
outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international
treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of
the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO
in 1972.
From 8th to 16th of July 2006, the 30th meeting period
of the World Heritage committee took place. It was chaired
by Lithuania and proceeded in Vilnius. 18 sites of 18 countries
were accepted for the Heritage List - 16 cultural heritages
and 2 natural heritages.
The World Heritage List comprises altogether 830 heritages
in 138 countries. Thereof 644 are cultural heritages and
162 natural heritages. Other 24 heritages belong both to
the cultural and to the natural heritages.
Cultural heritage refers to monuments, groups of buildings
and properties with historical, aesthetic, archaeological,
scientific, ethnological or anthropological value.
Natural heritage refers to outstanding physical, biological
and geological formations, habitats of threatened species
of animals and plants and areas with scientific, conservation
or aesthetic value.
China's share in the World Heritage List (until
July 2006)
1. Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in
Beijing and Shenyang (1987, 2004)
2. Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (1987)
3. Mogao Caves (1987)
4 .Mount Taishan (1987)
5. Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian (1987)
6. The Great Wall (1987)
7. Mount Huangshan (1990)
8. Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
9. Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
10. Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area (1992)
11. Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains (1994)
12. Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa (1994,
2000, 2001)
13. Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde (1994)
14. Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family
Mansion in Qufu (1994)
15. Lushan National Park (1996)
16. Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha
Scenic Area (1996)
17. Ancient City of Ping Yao (1997)
18. Classical Gardens of Suzhou (1997, 2000)
19. Old Town of Lijiang (1997)
20. Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing (1998)
21. Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing
(1998)
22. Dazu Rock Carvings (1999)
23. Mount Wuyi (1999)
24. Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui – Xidi and Hongcun
(2000)
25. Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (2000,
2003, 2004)
26. Longmen Grottoes (2000)
27. Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System
(2000)
28. Yungang Grottoes (2001)
29. Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas (2003)
30. Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom
(2004)
31. Historic Centre of Macao (2005)
32. Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries (2006)
33. Yin Xu (2006)
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