A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO organisation as of special cultural or physical importance. It can be a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or a big city.

The list is created and maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

In 1872 the Yellowstone National Park was established as a national park in the United States and 100 years later it was proposed to the first World Heritage Site.

There are 962 World Heritage Sites located in 157 States Party. Of these, 745 are cultural, 188 are natural and 29 are mixed properties.