- 29 new places around the world have been added to UNESCO's World Heritage list.
- The stunning sites include islands filled with wildlife and ancient palaces, and many of them preserve what was left behind by early humans.
- Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.
UNESCO has added 29 sites to its list of World Heritage sites around the world, from iconic American architecture, to an ancient city in Iraq, to some of the world's most stunning natural areas.
Sites are recognized for their cultural or historic significance, and gain new protections once they are added to the list.
The World Heritage Committee announced the new sites at a meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, this week. The list already included world-famous sites like the Grand Canyon and India's Taj Mahal.
These are the 29 new sites that have just been added:
French Austral Lands and Seas, France
UNESCO says that this region, made up of a series of islands in the Indian Ocean, "supports one of the highest concentrations of birds and marine mammals in the world."
It calls it a "oasis" in the middle of the ocean, covering more than 67 million hectares (670,000 square kilometers).
It has the "largest population of King Penguins and Yellow-nosed albatrosses in the world" and the fact that the islands are so far removed from humans means they are "extremely well-preserved showcases of biological evolution and a unique terrain for scientific research."
Paratyand Ilha Grande, Brazil
This area includes areas of Brazil's rainforest and one of Brazil's best-preserved coastal towns.
According to UNESCO, the area is "home to an impressive diversity of species, some of which are threatened" including jaguars and some species of monkey.
It used to serve as part of the route through which gold was shipped to Europe, and its port "also served as an entry point for tools and African slaves, sent to work in the mines."
Bagan, Myanmar
This sacred site contains temples, monasteries, and places of pilgrimage that show "an exceptional range of Buddhist art and architecture."
It also contains archaeological remains and sculptures. The "bears spectacular testimony to the peak of Bagan civilization," which ran from the 11th to 13th centuries and the Bagan site acted as the as the "capital of a regional empire."
Seowon, Korean Neo-Confucian Academies, South Korea
This site is made up of nine educational institutions called "seowon."
"Learning, veneration of scholars and interaction with the environment were the essential functions of the seowons, expressed in their design," UNESCO said.
Writing-on-Stone, Canada
This site, near the US border, contains engravings and paintings left by the native Blackfoot people.
Archaeological remains date back to 1800 BC, and the "landscape is considered sacred to the Blackfoot people, and their centuries-old traditions are perpetuated through ceremonies and in enduring respect for the places."
Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China, China
The site's mudflat system, which UNESCO said is "considered to be the largest in the world," means that it plays host to species of fish and crustaceans, and serves as an important area for migrating birds.
"Large gatherings of birds, including some of the world's most endangered species, depend on the coastline as a stopover to molt, rest, winter or nest."
Erzgebirge and Krušnohoří Mining Region, Czechia and Germany
This area contains a "wealth of several metals exploited through mining from the Middle Ages onward."
It was once the most important source of silver ore in Europe, and saw 800 years of continuous mining.
Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland
Taking up more than 14% of Iceland's territory, the Vatnajökull National Park is more than 1,400,000 hectares (14,000 square kilometers).
It contains two of Iceland's most active volcanoes, and the interaction between the volcanoes and the ice creates "spectacular" features, according to UNESCO.
Jaipur City, Rajasthan, India
The walled city of Jaipur dates back to 1727 and is known for its public squares, ochre color, and grid shape.
Landscape for Breeding and Training of Ceremonial Carriage Horses at Kladruby nad Labem, Czechia
The imperial stud farm was founded in 1579, "at a time when horses played vital roles in transport, agriculture, military support and aristocratic representation."
The site is now "one of Europe's leading horse-breeding institutions."
Risco Caido and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria, Spain
The area contains proof of human life before Spanish settlers arrived in the 15th century, including temples that are "thought to be linked to a possible cult of the stars and 'Mother Earth.'"
It also contains stunning volcanic formations and cliffs.
Water Management System of Augsburg, Germany
The water management system in the German city of Augsburg dates back to the 14th century, though has it evolved since.
"The technological innovations generated by this water management system have helped establish Augsburg as a pioneer in hydraulic engineering," UNESCO said.
The 20th century architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, US
Eight buildings in the US designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright were added to the list, including the Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House in Wisconsin and the Guggenheim Museum in New York.
UNESCO noted how Lloyd Wright's work shows a "blurring of the boundaries between exterior and interior and the unprecedented use of materials such as steel and concrete" and that his work "had a strong impact on the development of modern architecture in Europe."
Krzemionki Prehistoric Striped Flint Mining Region, Poland
This site "features one of the most comprehensive prehistoric underground flint extraction and processing systems identified to date."
The flint gathered at the mines was mostly used to make axes, according to UNESCO.
"The site provides information about life and work in prehistoric settlements and bears witness to an extinct cultural tradition. It is an exceptional testimony of the importance of the prehistoric period and of flint mining for tool production in human history. "
Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene, Italy
This region in north-east Italy "includes part of the vine-growing landscape of the Prosecco wine production area.
Use of the area by humans since the 17th century has created a unique landscape that has a checkerboards shape "consisting of rows of vines parallel and vertical to the slopes."
Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan, Japan
The site is made up of 49 burial mounds that served as tombs for the elite in ancient Japan.
The tombs were decorated with clay figures that took the form of everything from weapons to humans.
Plain of Jars, Laos
This area in central Laos has more than 2,100 jars that were used during the Iron Age.
The jars, stone disks, tombstones, and other stone objects "are the most prominent evidence of the Iron Age civilization that made and used them until it disappeared, around 500 CE," according to UNESCO.
Hyrcanian Forests, Iran
The history of these ancient forests along the edge of the Caspian city dates back 25 to 50 million years, according to UNESCO.
The area's "biodiversity is remarkable," and it is home to 180 species of bird and 58 species of mammals, including the Persian Leopard.
Royal Building of Mafra, Portugal
The site, near Portugal's capital Lisbon, was conceived by the king in 1711, and has two palaces, a royal chapel, a Franciscan monastery, and a library with 36,000 volumes.
UNESCO calls it an "an exceptional example of Italian Baroque" and says it "illustrates the power and reach of the Portuguese Empire" at the time it was built.
Dilmun Burial Mounds, Bahrain
UNESCO recognized a number of archaeological sites across Bahrain that together have around 11,774 burial mounds built between 2050 and 1750 BC. The mounds are unique in the world, according to UNESCO.
Ancient Ferrous Metallurgy Sites, Burkina Faso
Different areas across Burkina Faso contain furnaces and dwellings that date back to as early as 800 BC and serve as the "oldest evidence of the development of iron production found in Burkina Faso."
Babylon, Iraq
The site is made up of the ruins of the city of Babylon, which was the capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire from 626 to 539 BC.
UNESCO says that the site is "a unique testimony to one of the most influential empires of the ancient world."
Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, Australia
The site, in an Aboriginal area, contains volcanoes, swamps, and marshes, and is "one of the largest and oldest aquaculture networks in the world."
The network of waterways can be used to trap eels, "which has provided the population with an economic and social base for six millennia."
Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, China
The ruins of the city "are an outstanding example of early urban civilization expressed in earthen monuments, urban planning, a water conservation system and a social hierarchy expressed in differentiated burials in cemeteries within the property," according to UNESCO.
They date back to around 3300 to 2300 years BC.
Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto, Indonesia
The site was built between the 19th and 20th centuries by The Netherlands' colonial government to extract and process coal in a previously inaccessible region.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga, Portugal
The sanctuary overlooking the Portuguese city of Braga "was developed over a period of more than 600 years."
Churches of the Pskov School of Architecture, Russia
A group of churches, cathedrals, monasteries that date from the 12th to 16th centuries in the Russian city of Pskov are recognized by UNESCO as the group that built them "informed the evolution of Russian architecture over five centuries."
Jodrell Bank Observatory, UK
Jodrell Bank is "one of the world's leading radio astronomy observatories," UNESCO said.
It has "substantial scientific impact in fields such as the study of meteors and the moon, the discovery of quasars, quantum optics, and the tracking of spacecraft."
Historic Centre of Sheki with the Khan’s Palace, Azerbaijan
UNESCO recognized the center of the historic city of Sheki for its traditional architecture and its location along "important historic trade routes."
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