China

China as a State Party to the World Heritage Convention

State Party since: December 12, 1985

Status: Ratification

Mandates to the World Heritage Committee: 1991-1997, 1999-2005, 2007-2011, 2017-2021

Total of Mandate Years: 20

Total of Mandates: 4

WHC Electoral Group: IV (Asia/Pacific)

World Heritage Sites in China (61)

Cultural: 42 | Natural: 15 | Mixed: 4

• Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains · Cultural
• Ancient City of Ping Yao · Cultural
• Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui – Xidi and Hongcun · Cultural
• Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City · Cultural
• Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes · Natural
• Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital · Cultural
• Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom · Cultural
• Chengjiang Fossil Site · Natural
• China Danxia · Natural
• Classical Gardens of Suzhou · Cultural
• Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces · Cultural
• Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of the Jingmai Mountain in Pu’er · Cultural
• Dazu Rock Carvings · Cultural
• Fanjingshan · Natural
• Fujian Tulou · Cultural
• Historic Centre of Macao · Cultural
• Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa · Cultural
• Historic Monuments of Dengfeng in “The Centre of Heaven and Earth” · Cultural
• Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area · Natural
• Hubei Shennongjia · Natural
• Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang · Cultural
• Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties · Cultural
• Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites · Cultural
• Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area · Natural
• Kaiping Diaolou and Villages · Cultural
• Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement · Cultural
• Longmen Grottoes · Cultural
• Lushan National Park · Cultural
• Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor · Cultural
• Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China · Natural
• Mogao Caves · Cultural
• Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area · Mixed
• Mount Huangshan · Mixed
• Mount Qingcheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System · Cultural
• Mount Sanqingshan National Park · Natural
• Mount Taishan · Mixed
• Mount Wutai · Cultural
• Mount Wuyi · Mixed
• Mountain Resort and its Outlying Temples, Chengde · Cultural
• Old Town of Lijiang · Cultural
• Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian · Cultural
• Qinghai Hoh Xil · Natural
• Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China · Cultural
• Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries - Wolong, Mt Siguniang and Jiajin Mountains · Natural
• Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor · Cultural (Transboundary)
• Site of Xanadu · Cultural
• South China Karst · Natural
• Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing · Cultural
• Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu · Cultural
• Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing · Cultural
• The Grand Canal · Cultural
• The Great Wall · Cultural
• Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas · Natural
• Tusi Sites · Cultural
• West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou · Cultural
• Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area · Natural
• Xinjiang Tianshan · Natural
• Xixia Imperial Tombs · Cultural
• Yin Xu · Cultural
• Yungang Grottoes · Cultural
• Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape · Cultural

Map of World Heritage Sites

This interactive map shows the location of all UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China.

World Heritage Inscription Timeline

Tentative World Heritage Sites (60)

• Guizhou Shuanghe Cave · submitted: May 20, 2025
• Zhangye Colorful Hills · submitted: May 20, 2025
• Hezheng Mammalian Fossil Sites of Gansu · submitted: May 17, 2024
• Fujian Minjiang River Estuary: The ecotone between marine and terrestrial biogeographical regions · submitted: August 16, 2022
• Hainan Tropical Rainforest and the Traditional Settlement of Li Ethnic Group · submitted: January 19, 2022
• Huangguoshu Scenic Area · submitted: January 30, 2019
• Guizhou Triassic Fossil Sites · submitted: January 30, 2019
• Imperial Kiln Sites of Jingdezhen · submitted: September 5, 2017
• Guancen Mountain -- Luya Mountain · submitted: February 28, 2017
• Hulun Buir Landscape & Birthplace of Ancient Minority · submitted: February 28, 2017
• Qinghai Lake · submitted: February 28, 2017
• Scenic and historic area of Sacred Mountains and Lakes · submitted: February 28, 2017
• Taihang Mountain · submitted: February 28, 2017
• Vertical Vegetation Landscape and Volcanic Landscape in Changbai Mountain · submitted: February 28, 2017
• The Chinese Section of the Silk Roads · submitted: February 22, 2016
• Xinjiang Yardang · submitted: January 30, 2015
• Dunhuang Yardangs · submitted: January 30, 2015
• Tianzhushan · submitted: January 30, 2015
• Jinggangshan--North Wuyishan (Extension of Mount Wuyi) · submitted: January 30, 2015
• ShuDao · submitted: January 30, 2015
• Tulin-Guge Scenic and Historic Interest Areas · submitted: January 30, 2015
• Wooden Structures of Liao Dynasty—Wooden Pagoda of Yingxian County，Main Hall of Fengguo Monastery of Yixian County · submitted: January 29, 2013
• Sites of Hongshan Culture: The Niuheliang Archaeological Site, the Hongshanhou Archaeological Site, and Weijiawopu Archaeological Site · submitted: January 29, 2013
• Ancient Porcelain Kiln Site in China · submitted: January 29, 2013
• SanFangQiXiang · submitted: January 29, 2013
• Dong Villages · submitted: January 29, 2013
• Lingqu Canal · submitted: January 29, 2013
• Diaolou Buildings and Villages for Tibetan and Qiang Ethnic Groups · submitted: January 29, 2013
• Archaeological Sites of the Ancient Shu State: Site at Jinsha and Joint Tombs of Boat- shaped Coffins in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province; Site of Sanxingdui in Guanghan City, Sichuan Province 29C.BC-5C.BC · submitted: January 29, 2013
• Taklimakan Desert—Populus euphratica Forests · submitted: January 29, 2010
• China Altay · submitted: January 29, 2010
• Karakorum-Pamir · submitted: January 29, 2010
• The Four Sacred Mountains as an Extension of Mt. Taishan · submitted: April 7, 2008
• Sites for Liquor Making in China · submitted: March 28, 2008
• Ancient Residences in Shanxi and Shaanxi Provinces · submitted: March 28, 2008
• City Walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties · submitted: March 28, 2008
• Slender West Lake and Historic Urban Area in Yangzhou · submitted: March 28, 2008
• The Ancient Waterfront Towns in the South of Yangtze River · submitted: March 28, 2008
• Chinese Section of the Silk Road: Land routes in Henan Province, Shaanxi Province, Gansu Province, Qinghai Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; Sea Routes in Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province and Quanzhou City, Fujian Province - from Western-Han Dynasty to Qing Dynasty · submitted: March 28, 2008
• Fenghuang Ancient City · submitted: March 28, 2008
• Site of Southern Yue State · submitted: March 28, 2008
• Baiheliang Ancient Hydrological Inscription · submitted: March 28, 2008
• Miao Nationality Villages in Southeast Guizhou Province: The villages of Miao Nationality at the Foot of Leigong Mountain in Miao Ling Mountains · submitted: March 28, 2008
• Karez Wells · submitted: March 28, 2008
• Expansion Project of Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties: King Lujian’s Tombs · submitted: March 28, 2008
• Yalong, Tibet · submitted: November 29, 2001
• Yangtze Gorges Scenic Spot · submitted: November 29, 2001
• Jinfushan Scenic Spot · submitted: November 29, 2001
• Heaven Pit and Ground Seam Scenic Spot · submitted: November 29, 2001
• Hua Shan Scenic Area · submitted: November 29, 2001
• Yandang Mountain · submitted: November 29, 2001
• Nanxi River · submitted: November 29, 2001
• Maijishan Scenic Spots · submitted: November 29, 2001
• Wudalianchi Scenic Spots · submitted: November 29, 2001
• Haitan Scenic Spots · submitted: November 29, 2001
• Dali Chanshan Mountain and Erhai Lake Scenic Spot · submitted: November 29, 2001
• Dongzhai Port Nature Reserve · submitted: February 12, 1996
• The Alligator Sinensis Nature Reserve · submitted: February 12, 1996
• Poyang Nature Reserve · submitted: February 12, 1996
• The Lijiang River Scenic Zone at Guilin · submitted: February 12, 1996

Source: UNESCO Tentative Lists

Country Profile China

Official Name: People's Republic of China

Continent: Asia

Subregion: Eastern Asia

UNESCO Region: Asia and the Pacific

Capital: Beijing

Population (2024): 1,408,975,000

Land Area: 9,388,210 km²

Currency: Chinese yuan (CNY)

Country Data Sources

Links

UNESCO World Heritage Convention: State Party China

About States Parties

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.