The Convention on Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted at the XVII session of the UNESCO General Assembly on the 16th of November, 1972 and on the 17th of December, 1975 the Convention came into force. The main purpose of the Convention is to involve the World community in protection of unique cultural and natural sites. By the end of 2004 the number Convention member states has reached 178. The World Heritage List has consisted of 154 natural, 611 cultural and 23 mixed natural and cultural sites in 134 countries around the world, including 13 cultural and 8 natural sites in Russia. Other 8 sites are presently going through different stages of preparation for inscription into the List.

The World Heritage Site Status gives the following privileges:

• It secures additional guarantees of preservation and integrity of unique natural complexes;
• It raises the significance of the territories themselves and of the organizations that supervise these territories;
• It raises public awareness about the areas included into the World Heritage List and the promotion of alternative varieties of natural resources use (primarily environmental tourism);
• It sets up priorities in allocation of investments to support World Natural and Cultural Sites, and first of all, those from the World Heritage Fund;
• It facilitates monitoring and control over conservation of natural sites.

Photos by: A. Butorin, L. Veismann, A. Zimenko, V. Kantor, V. Kirilyuk, V. Nikolaenko, N. Ovsyanikov, V. Rodionov, N. Smelov, V. Shaulsky

Booklet contains information materials prepared for World Heritage Nominations.

Full version

Informational Booklet "Russian Natural Heritage"  (reverse)