List of World Heritage Sites by year of inscription

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designates World Heritage Sites of outstanding universal value to cultural or natural heritage which have been nominated by countries which are signatories to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Cultural heritage consists of monuments, groups of buildings, and sites. Natural features, geological and physiographical formations, and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage. To make a country's historical sites eligible for designation as a World Heritage Sites, the country needs to sign the World Heritage Convention. World Heritage Sites are selected during the annual sessions of the World Heritage Committee. The first World Heritage Site in the list is the Galápagos Islands. The 24th session in 2000 inscribed the most with 61 entries, while the 13th session in 1989 only inscribed seven sites.