Frequently Asked Questions
The most-asked questions about world heritage tentative list.
What is the World Heritage Tentative List?
It is a preliminary registry where UNESCO member states catalogue properties they consider worthy of potential World Heritage designation. Think of it as a waiting room: sites sit here while a country prepares the full nomination dossier needed to apply for formal inscription.
Who is responsible for maintaining the Tentative List?
Each Convention State Party submits and updates its own entries, while the World Heritage Centre in Paris compiles and publishes the combined international list. The World Heritage Committee does not approve or reject Tentative List entries; that authority stays with individual nations.
How does the Tentative List differ from the inscribed World Heritage List?
The Tentative List is essentially each country's shortlist of candidates, whereas the inscribed list contains properties that have passed full evaluation and received a positive Advisory Body recommendation. A Tentative List site holds no protected status under the 1972 Convention until it is formally inscribed.
How many countries maintain entries, and how large is the list?
Nearly all 195 Convention States Parties have submitted at least one property, making it one of the broadest collaborative heritage registries in the world. The total number of listed properties runs into the thousands, far exceeding the roughly 1,200 sites on the inscribed World Heritage List.
What categories can a Tentative List site fall under?
Entries are classified as cultural, natural, or mixed heritage, mirroring the three categories used on the inscribed list. Some properties are also proposed as extensions to an already-inscribed site or as transboundary nominations shared between multiple countries.
How long can a site remain on the Tentative List?
There is no fixed expiration; a property can sit on the list indefinitely as long as the country keeps it there. In practice most nations aim to file a full nomination within a few years, though some entries have lingered for decades without a formal application.
What must a country do to move a site from the Tentative List to a formal nomination?
The state must prepare a detailed dossier covering outstanding universal value, integrity, authenticity, and management plans, then submit it to the World Heritage Centre. The file is reviewed by ICOMOS, IUCN, or both, before the World Heritage Committee votes at its annual session.
Can a country remove a site from its Tentative List?
Yes; states have full sovereignty over their own entries and may add, modify, or withdraw properties at any time. Withdrawals usually occur when a country re-prioritizes its heritage strategy or concludes the site no longer meets the criteria it originally cited.
Where can I look up the current Tentative List?
The World Heritage Centre website publishes the most up-to-date consolidated list, organized by country and category. It is freely accessible and refreshed whenever a state submits a revision to its entries.
Does Tentative List status grant a site any legal protection?
No—Tentative List status carries no binding legal obligations or international protection under the World Heritage Convention. The property is safeguarded only by whatever national or regional laws the host country already has in place, which is why many heritage advocates push for faster formal inscription.