China has the highest number of UNESCO World Heritage sites of any Asian country. Its exceptionally large total reflects thousands of years of built, archaeological and natural heritage across a vast territory.
China ratified the World Heritage Convention in 1985, and its first six properties were inscribed in 1987. The portfolio includes cultural landmarks such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the Mogao Caves, as well as natural areas including Jiuzhaigou Valley and the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan.
A common mix-up is confusing World Heritage sites with UNESCO’s tentative list. A tentative-list entry is only a possible future nomination; it is not yet an officially inscribed World Heritage property. Counts can also change after each annual World Heritage Committee meeting, and one transnational property may be shared with other countries. China’s total therefore reflects UNESCO’s formal inscriptions, not every protected or historically important place in the country.