Since 2000, Rwanda has participated in the World Heritage Convention. It is home to two World Heritage Sites. Rwanda ranks 30th worldwide and 9th in Africa by number of World Heritage Sites. Its inscriptions include cultural and natural properties, representing a diverse heritage portfolio.
Rwanda as a State Party to the World Heritage Convention
State Party since: December 28, 2000
Status: Acceptance
Mandates to the World Heritage Committee: 2021-2025
States Parties are countries that have joined the World Heritage Convention.
They commit to identifying, nominating, and protecting properties of outstanding
cultural or natural value on their territory. States Parties are also expected to
monitor and report on the condition of inscribed sites.
The UNESCO World Heritage List is usually seen as a catalogue of the world’s most important cultural and natural places. Yet behind every inscription there is a structured decision process: countries must first join the Convention, run for a seat on the World Heritage Committee, prepare nominations through a fixed procedure, and finally obtain enough votes for inscription.
Learn about UNESCO, the World Heritage Convention, Tentative Lists, and how World Heritage Sites are selected and preserved. Explore the history, structures, and processes that protect humanity’s cultural and natural treasures.
Last updated: September 20, 2026
Portions of this page are based on data from UNESCO —
World Heritage List Dataset. Changes made. Original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE) is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee.
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