Best Places in the World to Visit: World Heritage Sites

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE…

What do the Amazon, Amalfi Coast, Robben Island, Damascus, Taj Mahal, Tower of London, Statue of Liberty, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Westminster Abbey, and Machu  Picchu have in common? They are all World Heritage Sites.

A World Heritage Site is a place (such as a building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, or mountain) that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance. World Heritage Sites are awarded preservation status once declared a WHS. Sites can be delisted or placed on an ‘endangered” list.

Here’s a short quiz created by National Geographic to test your knowledge:

1. How many WHS are there as of 2010?

a. 911      b. 710       c. 1,013       d. 7,662

2. What was the first designated WHS?

a. Cairo (Egypt)    b. Old Havana (Cuba)     c. Yellowstone National Park      d. Venice (Italy)

3. Which is these U.S. sites is on the WHS list?

a. Los Alamos (New Mexico)    b. Jimi Hendrix birthplace (Seattle)     c. Statue of Liberty (NY)    d. White House (D.C.)

4. Where can the most WHS be found?

a. Africa   b. Asia     c. Europe     d. North America

5. South Africa’s Vredefort Dome is a WHS that is what exactly?

a. asteroid site    b. 11th century stadium    c. historic gold mine      d. volcanic crater

Bonus Question: What is the world’s least accessible WHS?Hint: It’s in Iceland.

Surtsey is an island created by a volcanic eruption in the 1960’s. It is not located far from the main island in Iceland and can actually be seen from neighboring islands. However, the Icelandic government made the island off limits to humans so they can see how the island naturally develops. Only researchers are allowed to set foot on the island and then only with a rarely issued permit. But tour boats are permitted to sail past the island so bring your binoculars if you get that far!

Tip: You will never be able to visit all the WHS because the list grows longer every year.

Answers: (1) a; (2) c; (3) c; (4) c (5) a

For more visit on WHS http://whc.unesco.org/en/faq/ and http://whc.unesco.org/en/list