The list has forts and forests. There are temples and towns too. Some are pretty to see. Others are important for human history. UNESCO protects all these places with its World Heritage List. UNESCO leaders met September 10–25 in Saudi Arabia. They added 42 new World Heritage Sites!
These places are across the globe. Some are from Argentina, Belgium, and Cambodia. One sits in the United States. Nine new sites are natural wonders. And 33 are cultural sites. These played a role in human history.
One new UNESCO natural site lies in a huge sandy desert. That’s Ar Rub’ al-KhaIi. Arabian oryx live along the dunes. These animals were in the wild. But experts brought them back to their . This area is ‘Uruq Bani Ma’arid. It’s in Saudi Arabia.
Another new natural site includes a volcano. Mount Pelée rises over an island called Martinique. An endangered frog lives there. UNESCO also protected a forest in the Congo. It’s home to African elephants. UNESCO added a natural site in Italy as well. It’s a system of caves.
The new UNESCO sites include religious places. One is Koh Ker. It has temples in Cambodia. They’re 1,100 years old. Another is the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas. That features three temples in India from the 1100s and 1200s. There are five wooden from Türkiye too. Those date to the 1200s.
One new UNESCO cultural site is even older. It’s the Maison Carrée of Nîmes in France. It’s from 2,000 years ago! Back then, the Roman Empire controlled most of Europe. The design of the Roman temple inspired the Virginia State Capitol.
UNESCO said some sites are in danger. That means their history may be lost. The list includes areas of Ukraine. These include L’viv and Kyiv. UNESCO says these areas have been “under threat” since February 2022. That’s when Russia began the war in Ukraine.
There are now 1,199 UNESCO heritage sites. Each tells about our Earth — and its cultures.
Updated September 25, 2023, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Russell Kahn (Russ)
