List of World Heritage Sites in Northern and Central Asia

The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has designated 19 World Heritage Sites in six countries (also called "state parties") of Central and North Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and the Asian part of Russia. ^[1] The European part of Russia is included in Eastern Europe. ^[2]

Russia is home to the most inscribed sites with 8 sites, two of which are transborder properties shared with Mongolia in Eastern Asia. ^[3] The first site from the region was the Itchan Kala in Uzbekistan inscribed in 1990. ^[4] 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 (i–vi) and four for natural heritage (vii–x). ^[5] Some sites, designated "mixed sites," represent both cultural and natural heritage. In Northern and Central Asia, there are 11 cultural, 8 natural, and no mixed sites. All of the Russian sites (7) are natural and with the exception of Sayarka, all of the sites in Central Asia are cultural. ^[6]

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." None of the sites in this region has ever been listed as endangered, but possible danger listing has been considered by UNESCO in a number of cases. ^[7]

Legend

The table is sortable by column by clicking on the at the top of the appropriate column; alphanumerically for the site, area, and year columns; by state party for the location column; and by criteria type for the criteria column. Transborder sites sort at the bottom.

Map all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as: KML GPX (all coordinates) GPX (primary coordinates) GPX (secondary coordinates)

Site; named after the World Heritage Committee's official designation ^[3]

Location; at city, regional, or provincial level and geocoordinates

Criteria; as defined by the World Heritage Committee ^[5]

Area; in hectares and acres. If available, the size of the buffer zone has been noted as well. A value of zero implies that no data has been published by UNESCO

Year; during which the site was inscribed to the World Heritage List

Description; brief information about the site, including reasons for qualifying as an endangered site, if applicable

World Heritage Sites

  * Trans-border site

Site	Image	Location	Criteria	Area ha (acre)	Year	Refs
Central Sikhote-Alin		Primorsky Krai,   Russia 45°20′N136°10′E / 45.333°N 136.167°E / 45.333; 136.167 (Central Sikhote-Alin)	Natural: (x)	1,553,928 (3,839,840); buffer zone 65,250 (161,200)	2001	[8]
Golden Mountains of Altai		Altai Republic,   Russia 50°28′N86°0′E / 50.467°N 86.000°E / 50.467; 86.000 (Golden Mountains of Altai)	Natural: (x)	1,611,457 (3,982,000)	1998	[9]
Historic Centre of Bukhara		Bukhara Region,   Uzbekistan 39°46′29″N64°25′43″E / 39.77472°N 64.42861°E / 39.77472; 64.42861 (Historic Centre of Bukhara)	Cultural: (ii), (iv), (vi)	—	1993	[10]
Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz		Qashqadaryo Region,   Uzbekistan 39°3′0″N66°50′0″E / 39.05000°N 66.83333°E / 39.05000; 66.83333 (Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz)	Cultural: (iii), (iv)	240 (590); buffer zone 82 (200)	2000	[11]
Itchan Kala		Khiva, Xorazm Region,   Uzbekistan 41°22′42″N60°21′50″E / 41.37833°N 60.36389°E / 41.37833; 60.36389 (Itchan Kala)	Cultural: (iii), (iv), (v)	26 (64)	1990	[12]
Kunya-Urgench		Daşoguz Region,   Turkmenistan 42°10′59″N59°5′6″E / 42.18306°N 59.08500°E / 42.18306; 59.08500 (Kunya-Urgench)	Cultural: (ii), (iii)	—	2005	[13]
Lake Baikal		Irkutsk Oblast and Republic of Buryatia,   Russia 53°10′25″N107°39′45″E / 53.17361°N 107.66250°E / 53.17361; 107.66250 (Lake Baikal)	Natural: (vii), (viii), (ix), (x)	8,800,000 (22,000,000)	1996	[14]
Landscapes of Dauria		Zabaykalsky Krai,   Russia* Dornod Province,   Mongolia* 49°55′N115°25′E / 49.917°N 115.417°E / 49.917; 115.417 (Landscapes of Dauria)	Natural: (ix), (x)	912,624 (2,255,140); buffer zone 307,317 (759,400)	2017	[15]
Lena Pillars Nature Park		Sakha Republic,   Russia 60°40′0″N127°0′0″E / 60.66667°N 127.00000°E / 60.66667; 127.00000 (Lena Pillars Nature Park)	Natural: (viii)	1,272,150 (3,143,600)	2012	[16]
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi		Turkistan, Turkistan Region,   Kazakhstan 43°17′35″N68°16′28″E / 43.29306°N 68.27444°E / 43.29306; 68.27444 (Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi)	Cultural: (i), (iii), (iv)	0.55 (1.4); buffer zone 88 (220)	2003	[17]
Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve		Chukotka Autonomous Okrug,   Russia 71°11′20″N179°42′55″E / 71.18889°N 179.71528°E / 71.18889; 179.71528 (Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve)	Natural: (ix), (x)	916,300 (2,264,000); buffer zone 3,745,300 (9,255,000)	2004	[18]
Parthian Fortresses of Nisa		Bagyr settlement, Ruhabat District, Ahal Region,   Turkmenistan 37°59′59″N58°11′55″E / 37.99972°N 58.19861°E / 37.99972; 58.19861 (Parthian Fortresses of Nisa)	Cultural: (ii), (iii)	78 (190); buffer zone 400 (990)	2007	[19]
Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly		Almaty Region,   Kazakhstan 43°48′12″N75°32′6″E / 43.80333°N 75.53500°E / 43.80333; 75.53500 (Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly)	Cultural: (iii)	900 (2,200); buffer zone 2,900 (7,200)	2004	[20]
Proto-urban site of Sarazm		Panjakent,   Tajikistan 39°30′28″N67°27′37″E / 39.50778°N 67.46028°E / 39.50778; 67.46028 (Proto-urban site of Sarazm)	Cultural: (ii), (iii)	16 (40); buffer zone 142 (350)	2010	[21]
Putorana Plateau		Krasnoyarsk Krai,   Russia 69°2′49″N94°9′29″E / 69.04694°N 94.15806°E / 69.04694; 94.15806 (Putorana Plateau)	Natural: (vii), (ix)	1,887,251 (4,663,500); buffer zone 1,773,300 (4,382,000)	2010	[22]
Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures		Samarqand Region,   Uzbekistan 39°40′7″N67°0′0″E / 39.66861°N 67.00000°E / 39.66861; 67.00000 (Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures)	Cultural: (i), (ii), (iv)	965 (2,380)	2001	[23]
Saryarka — Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan		Akmola and Kostanay Regions,   Kazakhstan 50°26′N69°11′E / 50.433°N 69.183°E / 50.433; 69.183 (Saryarka — Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan)	Natural: (ix), (x)	450,344 (1,112,820); buffer zone 211,148 (521,760)	2008	[24]
Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor		22 sites in   China*: Luoyang, Lingbao and Xin'an of Henan Province; Xi'an, Bin County and Chenggu of Shaanxi Province; Tianshui, Yongjing, Dunhuang and Anxi of Gansu Province; Turpan, Jimsar and Kuqa of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. 8 sites in   Kazakhstan*: Almaty Region and Jambyl Region. 3 sites in   Kyrgyzstan*: Chüy Region	Cultural: (ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)	42,668.16 (105,435.3); buffer zone 189,963.13 (469,409.1)	2014	[25]
State Historical and Cultural Park “Ancient Merv”		Mary Region,   Turkmenistan 37°42′3″N62°10′39″E / 37.70083°N 62.17750°E / 37.70083; 62.17750 (State Historical and Cultural Park “Ancient Merv”)	Cultural: (ii), (iii)	353 (870); buffer zone 883 (2,180)	1999	[26]
Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain		Osh,   Kyrgyzstan 40°31′52″N72°46′58″E / 40.53111°N 72.78278°E / 40.53111; 72.78278 (Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain)	Cultural: (iii), (vi)	112 (280); buffer zone 4,788 (11,830)	2009	[27]
Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs)		Tajikistan 38°45′54″N72°18′19″E / 38.76500°N 72.30528°E / 38.76500; 72.30528 (Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs))	Natural: (vii), (viii)	2,611,674 (6,453,590)	2013	[28]
Uvs Nuur Basin		Uvs, Zavkhan and Khövsgöl Provinces   Mongolia* Mongun-Tayginsky, Ovyursky, Tes-Khemsky and Erzinsky Districts, Tuva Republic,   Russia* 50°16′30″N92°43′1″E / 50.27500°N 92.71694°E / 50.27500; 92.71694 (Uvs Nuur Basin))	Natural: (ix), (x)	898,064 (2,219,160); buffer zone 170,790 (422,000)	2003	[29]
Volcanoes of Kamchatka		Kamchatka Krai,   Russia 56°20′N158°30′E / 56.333°N 158.500°E / 56.333; 158.500 (Volcanoes of Kamchatka)	Natural: (vii), (viii), (ix), (x)	3,830,200 (9,465,000)	1996 [nb 1]	[30] [31]

Tentative List

Site	Image	Location	Criteria	Year	Refs
Cultural Landscape of Ulytau		Ulytau Region,   Kazakhstan	Cultural: (v)	2021	[32]
Northern Tyan Shan (Ili-Alatau National Park)		Almaty Region,   Kazakhstan	Natural: (x)	2002	[33]
State National Natural Park "Altyn Emel"		Almaty Region,   Kazakhstan	Natural: (vii), (viii), (ix)	2002	[34]
Saimaly-Tash Petroglypghs		Jalal-Abad Region,   Kyrgyzstan	Cultural: (iii), (iv), (vi)	2001	[35]
Khulbuk -Capital of Ancient Khuttal		Hulbuk, Vose' District, Khatlon Region,   Tajikistan	Cultural: (ii), (iii), (iv)	2021	[36]
Fann Mountains		Sughd Region,   Tajikistan	Mixed: (vii), (x)	2006	[37]
Mausoleum of Amir Khamza Khashti Podshoh		Chorkuh, Isfara District, Sughd Region,   Tajikistan	Cultural	1999	[38]
Mausoleum of Khoja Mashkhad		Khatlon Region,   Tajikistan	Cultural	1999	[39]
Ancient Town of Takht-i-Sangin		Khatlon Region,   Tajikistan	Cultural	1999	[40]
Bahoutdin Architectural Complex		Bukhara, Bukhara Region,   Uzbekistan	Cultural: (iv)	2008	[41]
Historic Centre of Qoqon		Kokand, Fergana Region,   Uzbekistan	Cultural: (ii)	2008	[42]
Andijan		Andijan, Andijan Region,   Uzbekistan	Cultural: (iii), (iv), (v)	2008	[43]
Ancient Termiz		Termez, Surxondaryo Region,   Uzbekistan	Mixed: (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (ix)	2008	[44]
Historic Centre of Irkutsk		Irkutsk, Irkutsk Oblast,   Russia	Cultural	1998	[45]
Historic Centre of Yeniseysk		Yeniseysk, Krasnoyarsk Krai,   Russia	Cultural: (ii), (iii), (iv)	2000	[46]
Valley of the Kingsof Tuva (Arzhan)		Tuva Republic,   Russia	Cultural: (i), (iii), (iv)	2021	[47]
Kytalyk National Park		Sakha Republic,   Russia	Natural: (ix), (x)	2021	[48]
Krasnoyarsk Stolby		Krasnoyarsk Krai,   Russia	Natural: (vii), (viii), (ix), (x)	2007	[49]
Magadansky Nature Reserve		Magadan Oblast,   Russia	Natural: (vii), (viii), (ix), (x)	2007	[50]

Notes

1. Extended in 2001 to include Kluchevskoy Nature Park.

References

Notes

1. "Number of World Heritage Properties by region". UNESCO . Retrieved 10 September 2011.
2. "Composition of macro geographical (continental) regions, geographical sub-regions, and selected economic and other groupings". Geographical region and composition of each region. United Nations Statistics Division. 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
3. "World Heritage List". UNESCO . Retrieved 28 May 2010.
4. "Number of World Heritage properties inscribed each Year". UNESCO . Retrieved 8 September 2011.
5. "The Criteria for Selection". UNESCO . Retrieved 10 September 2011.
6. "World Heritage List Nominations". UNESCO . Retrieved 28 May 2010.
7. "World Heritage in Danger". UNESCO . Retrieved 28 May 2010.
8. "Central Sikhote-Alin". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
9. "Golden Mountains of Altai". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
10. "Historic Centre of Bukhara". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
11. "Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
12. "Itchan Kala". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
13. "Kunya-Urgench". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
14. "Lake Baikal". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
15. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Landscapes of Dauria". whc.unesco.org. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
16. "Lena Pillars Nature Park". UNESCO . Retrieved 4 August 2013.
17. "Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
18. "Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
19. "Parthian Fortresses of Nisa". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
20. "Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
21. "Proto-urban site of Sarazm". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
22. "Putorana Plateau". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
23. "Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
24. "Saryarka — Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
25. "Silk Road". UNESCO . Retrieved 22 June 2014.
26. "State Historical and Cultural Park "Ancient Merv"". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
27. "Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
28. "Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs)". UNESCO . Retrieved 4 August 2013.
29. "Uvs Nuur Basin". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
30. "Volcanoes of Kamchatka". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
31. "Decision – 25COM X.B – Volcanoes of Kamchatka [Extension to include Kluchevskoy Nature Park] (Russian Federation)". UNESCO . Retrieved 20 October 2011.
32. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Cultural Landscape of Ulytau". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
33. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Northern Tyan-Shan (Ile-Alatau State National Park)". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
34. "State National Natural Park "Altyn-Emel" - UNESCO World Heritage Centre". 2020-06-22. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
35. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Saimaly-Tash Petroglyphs". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
36. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Khulbuk – the capital of ancient Khuttal". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
37. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Fann mountains". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
38. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Mausoleum of "Amir Khamza Khasti Podshoh"". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
39. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Mausoleum of "Khoja Mashkhad"". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
40. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "The Site of Ancient Town of Takhti-Sangin". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
41. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Bahoutdin Architectural Complex". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
42. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Historic Center of Qoqon". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
43. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Andijon". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
44. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Ancient Termiz". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
45. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Centre historique d'Irkoutsk". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
46. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Historic Center of the Yenisseisk". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
47. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Valley of the Kings of Tuva". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
48. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "National Park Kytalyk". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
49. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Krasnoyarsk Stolby". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
50. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Magadansky State Nature Reserve". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2022-07-22.