UNESCO is also known as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. UNESCO is established in the year of 1972. UNESCO list out the important places of cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention.
In India, UNESCO recognized a total of 38 World Heritage sites. India ranks in 6th place in the world which are having world heritage sites. Those were 30 cultural sites, 7 natural sites and 1 mixed criteria sites. Italy has the highest numbers of World Heritage sites in the world.
List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
Here is the list of Cultural World Heritage Sites in India
| S.No | Heritage Site | State |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Agra Fort | Uttar Pradesh |
| 2. | Ajanta Caves | Maharashtra |
| 3. | Ellora Caves | Maharashtra |
| 4. | Taj Mahal | Uttar Pradesh |
| 5. | Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram | Tamil Nadu |
| 6. | Sun Temple, Konarak | Odisha |
| 7. | Churches and Convents of Goa | Goa |
| 8. | Fatehpur Sikri | Uttar Pradesh |
| 9. | Group of Monuments at Hampi | Karnataka |
| 10. | Khajuraho Group of Monuments | Madhya Pardesh |
| 11. | Elephanta Caves | Maharashtra |
| 12. | Great Living Chola Temples 12 | Tamil Nadu |
| 13. | Group of Monuments at Pattadakal | Karnataka |
| 14. | Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi | Madhya Pradesh |
| 15. | Humayun’s Tomb | Delhi |
| 16. | Qutb Minar and its Monuments | Delhi |
| 17. | Mountain Railways of India (Includes Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway and the Kalka-Shimla Railway) | Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tamilnadu |
| 18. | Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya | Bihar |
| 19. | Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka | Madhya Pradesh |
| 20. | Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park | Gujarat |
| 21. | Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) | Mumbai |
| 22. | Red Fort Complex | Delhi |
| 23. | The Jantar Mantar | Jailpur, Rajasthan |
| 24. | Hill Forts of Rajasthan (Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Ranthambore Fort, Gagron Fort, Amber Fort and Jaisalmer Fort) | Rajasthan |
| 25. | Rani-ki-Vav at Patan | Gujarat |
| 26. | Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) | Bihar |
| 27. | Capitol Building Complex – The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier | Chandigarh |
| 28. | Historic City of Ahmadabad | Gujarat |
| 29. | Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles | Maharashtra |
| 30. | Kaziranga National Park | Assam |
| 31. | Keoladeo National Park | Rajasthan |
| 32. | Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | Assam |
| 33. | Sundarbans National Park | West Bengal |
| 34. | Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks | Uttarakhand |
| 35. | Western Ghats | Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra |
| 36. | Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area | Himachal Pradesh |
| 37. | Khangchendzonga National Park | Sikkim |
World Heritage Sites of India
- First time from India, in 1983 Agra Fort, Ajanta Caves were listed in World Heritage Sites list
- In 2016, Nalanda Mahavihara University (Bihar), Capitol Building Complex (Chandigarh), Khangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim) were added
- Ahmedabad is a first city is added from India in World Heritage site list in 2017
- Victorian and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai listed as 37th World Heritage Sites from India in 2018
- Only one mixed-criteria site in India is Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim.