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 signatories to the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage. Bahrain accepted the convention on May 28, 1991, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list. It has three World Heritage Sites and a further six sites on the tentative list. The first site listed was the Qal’at al-Bahrain – Ancient Harbour and Capital of Dilmun, in 2005, while the most recent one was the Dilmun Burial Mounds, in 2019. All three sites are listed for their cultural significance. Bahrain has served on the World Heritage Committee twice.
World Heritage Sites
UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural.
Tentative list
In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. Bahrain lists six properties on its tentative list.
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