What are the Selection Criteria?

In order to be included on the World Heritage List a site has to be of "outstanding universal value" and must meet at least one out of ten selection criteria. The original criteria included 6 cultural criteria and 4 natural criteria. In 2005 the criteria were combined into one set of 10 criteria and the natural criteria were renumberbe.

Criteria I-Cultural Criteria I : Represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;

Criteria II-Cultural Criteria II : Exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town planning or landscape design;

Criteria III-Cultural Criteria III : Bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;

Criteria IV-Cultural Criteria IV : Be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technical ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;

Criteria V-Cultural Criteria V : Be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures) or human interaction with the environment,especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;

Criteria VI-Cultural Criteria VI : Be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance (preferably used in conjunction with other criteria);

Criteria VII-Natural Criteria I : To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;

Criteria VII-Natural Criteria II : To be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiography features;

Criteria VIII-Natural Criteria III : To be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;

Criteria IX-Natural  Criteria IV :  To contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation;

The management, integrity,protection and authenticity of sites are also important considerations.