The large majority of Asian World Heritage sites lies in the south-west and the south of the continent with China, India and Japan having the most sites. These countries have cultural traditions that have continued almost without interruption for many centuries. The physical space, intensely controlled by man, as well as the inhospitable natural environment created a unique setting. Predominant World Heritage sites are unique temple and palace complexes, such as the Taj Mahal (India) and Borobudur (Indonesia). But mountain and volcano landscapes and adjoining man-made landscapes have also been granted this status, among which Mount Wuyi (China). The Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Japan), established in remembrance of the first nuclear bomb ever used as a weapon (1945), is of universal significance.


(Photo: Borobudur, Indonesia)

In the 19th century many coastal areas in South-east Asia were colonised by Europeans, but this seldom resulted in merged cultures. Yet some remnants of these developments have also been designated as World Heritage sites, among which the churches in Goa (India) and the historical city and fortifications of Galle (Sri Lanka).  The Asian part of the Russian Federation and South-west Asia are less represented on the World Heritage List. These inhospitable regions - with tundras, mountain ranges, deserts and steppes – were not very suitable for permanent human settlement. However, parts of these areas have been inscribed on the List as nature areas, like the Virgin Komi Forests, a tundra region in the Urals (Russia) and the Uvs Nuur Basin, a steppe in the border regions of Russia and Mongolia.

(Photo right: Virgin Komi Forests, Russian Federation)

Nomadic peoples travelled throughout several inhospitable regions but left relatively few lasting traces. Nevertheless, those areas also hold important remnants which have been inscribed on the List. Examples are the city of Bukhara (Uzbekistan) along the Silk Road and the cultural landscape of Bamiyan Valley (Afghanistan), now placed on the World Heritage in Danger List. More to the north lies the Kremlin of Kazan (Russia).