Arab Region Holds 96 Sites on UNESCO World Heritage List
Arab Region Holds 96 Sites on UNESCO World Heritage List
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The Arab region has secured 96 entries on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, according to the organization’s latest data. Tunisia and Morocco top the regional ranking with nine sites each, while Iraq shares fourth place with Lebanon and Syria, each boasting six sites.
Iraq’s inscribed sites are Hatra, Ashur (Qal’at Sherqat), the archaeological city of Samarra, the Ahwar of Southern Iraq, Ur, and Eridu and Uruk. Collectively, the Arab world’s heritage listings span 18 countries, representing nearly 7% of all sites recognized globally.
In July 2025, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee added the Al-Faya archaeological site in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, as a cultural property. Al-Faya was the only Arab site inscribed this year and the second from the UAE, following the inclusion of Al Ain’s cultural sites in 2011.
Established in 1978, the World Heritage List initially featured Yellowstone National Park in the United States and Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands among its first entries. More than four decades later, inscription remains a prestigious accolade, granted only to locations demonstrating “outstanding universal value.”
The nomination process is rigorous and can take years. Sites must meet at least one of several criteria, which may include offering a unique testimony to cultural traditions, representing an extinct or living civilization, or exhibiting exceptional natural beauty or phenomena.
Inclusion on the World Heritage List not only enhances a site’s international profile but also grants the host country access to UNESCO’s technical expertise and financial support, aiding in the preservation and protection of the site for future generations.
