UNESCO has added 26 new sites to its World Heritage List, recognizing their cultural and natural significance. The list now numbers 1,248 locations worldwide.
Some of the new additions include a sacred mountain in Malawi, petroglyphs in South Korea, remains of 17th-century Port Royal in Jamaica, and a king’s palaces in Germany. These sites were designated due to their outstanding universal value and importance to human history.
The World Heritage Committee, comprising representatives from 21 countries, met in Paris to finalize the list. Countries with World Heritage sites must commit to preserving them, while those with designated sites may receive funding for conservation efforts.
The new sites include:
– Bavarian palaces in Germany
– Imperial tombs in China
– Remains of 17th-century Port Royal in Jamaica
– Ecosystems of the Bijagós Islands off Guinea-Bissau
– Memorials to the Cambodian genocide
Other additions are:
– Megaliths of Carnac and shores of Morbihan in France
– Minoan palatial centres in Greece
– Mount Kumgang – Diamond Mountain from the Sea in North Korea
– Mount Mulanje Cultural Landscape in Malawi
– Murujuga Cultural Landscape in Australia
– Peruaçu River Canyon in Brazil
The list also includes two existing national parks, Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and South Africa’s iSimangaliso Wetland Park, which were extended to include additional sites.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/07/18/nx-s1-5471428/unesco-world-heritage-sites-2025