List of World Heritage Sites in Northern and Central Asia facts for kids

The UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a special part of the United Nations. It helps protect important places around the world. These places are called World Heritage Sites. They are special because of their history, culture, or natural beauty.

In Central and North Asia, UNESCO has chosen 19 World Heritage Sites. These sites are found in six countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and the Asian part of Russia. The European part of Russia has its own list of sites.

Russia has the most sites in this region, with 8 places on the list. Two of these Russian sites are shared with Mongolia. The very first site from this area to be added was the Itchan Kala in Uzbekistan in 1990. Every year, the World Heritage Committee decides which new places to add. They also check if sites still meet the rules.

To be chosen, a site must meet at least one of ten special rules. Six rules are for cultural heritage (like old buildings or historical areas). Four rules are for natural heritage (like unique mountains or forests). Some sites are "mixed," meaning they have both cultural and natural importance. In Central and North Asia, there are 11 cultural sites and 8 natural sites. There are no mixed sites here. Most of Russia's sites (7) are natural. Most sites in Central Asia are cultural, except for Saryarka in Kazakhstan, which is natural.

UNESCO can also say if a site is in danger. This means something is threatening what makes the site special. Luckily, none of the sites in this region have ever been listed as endangered.

World Heritage Sites in Central and North Asia

     * Shared site between countries Here is a list of the amazing World Heritage Sites in Central and North Asia. You can click on the small arrows next to the column titles to sort the list!

Site	Image	Location	Criteria	Area ha (acre)	Year	Refs
Central Sikhote-Alin		Primorsky Krai,  Russia 45°20′N 136°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
Golden Mountains of Altai		Altai Republic,  Russia 50°28′N 86°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
Historic Centre of Bukhara		Bukhara Region,  Uzbekistan 39°46′29″N 64°25′43″E / 39.77472°N 64.42861°E / 39.77472; 64.42861 (Historic Centre of Bukhara)	Cultural: (ii), (iv), (vi)	—	1993
Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz		Qashqadaryo Region,  Uzbekistan 39°3′0″N 66°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
Itchan Kala		Khiva, Xorazm Region,  Uzbekistan 41°22′42″N 60°21′50″E / 41.37833°N 60.36389°E / 41.37833; 60.36389 (Itchan Kala)	Cultural: (iii), (iv), (v)	26 (64)	1990
Kunya-Urgench		Daşoguz Region,  Turkmenistan 42°10′59″N 59°5′6″E / 42.18306°N 59.08500°E / 42.18306; 59.08500 (Kunya-Urgench)	Cultural: (ii), (iii)	—	2005
Lake Baikal		Irkutsk Oblast and Republic of Buryatia,  Russia 53°10′25″N 107°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
Landscapes of Dauria		Zabaykalsky Krai,  Russia* Dornod Province,  Mongolia* 49°55′N 115°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
Lena Pillars Nature Park		Sakha Republic,  Russia 60°40′0″N 127°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
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi		Turkistan, Turkistan Region,  Kazakhstan 43°17′35″N 68°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
Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve		Chukotka Autonomous Okrug,  Russia 71°11′20″N 179°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
Parthian Fortresses of Nisa		Bagyr settlement, Ruhabat District, Ahal Region,  Turkmenistan 37°59′59″N 58°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
Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly		Almaty Region,  Kazakhstan 43°48′12″N 75°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
Proto-urban site of Sarazm		Panjakent,  Tajikistan 39°30′28″N 67°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
Putorana Plateau		Krasnoyarsk Krai,  Russia 69°2′49″N 94°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
Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures		Samarqand Region,  Uzbekistan 39°40′7″N 67°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
Saryarka — Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan		Akmola and Kostanay Regions,  Kazakhstan 50°26′N 69°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
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
State Historical and Cultural Park “Ancient Merv”		Mary Region,  Turkmenistan 37°42′3″N 62°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
Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain		Osh,  Kyrgyzstan 40°31′52″N 72°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
Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs)		Tajikistan 38°45′54″N 72°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
Uvs Nuur Basin		Uvs, Zavkhan and Khövsgöl Provinces  Mongolia* Mongun-Tayginsky, Ovyursky, Tes-Khemsky and Erzinsky Districts, Tuva Republic,  Russia* 50°16′30″N 92°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
Volcanoes of Kamchatka		Kamchatka Krai,  Russia 56°20′N 158°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

Sites That Might Be Added Soon

These are places that countries have suggested to UNESCO. They are on a "Tentative List," meaning they could become World Heritage Sites in the future!

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