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The Plain of Jars in northern Lao province of Xieng Khuang (Photo:Getty Images) The Plain of Jars is named for the more than 2,100 tubular-shaped megalithic stone jars that are believed to have been used for funerary practices in the Iron Age. According to the UNESCO, this site contains large carved stone jars, stone discs, secondary burials, tombstones, quarries and funerary objects dating from 500 BC to 500 AD.

China's migratory bird sanctuaries (Photo:Xinhua) China's Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf is the living environment of several species of fish and crustaceans. It is the central node of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and provides a variety of food resources for millions of migratory birds.

Iran’s Hyrcanian Forests (Photo: Tehran Times) The Hyrcanian Forests run some 850 kilometers along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. They date back up to 25 to 50 million years and are home to the Persian Leopard, and nearly 58 other mammal species, along with 180 bird species.

The French Southern Terres and Seas (Photo: Picdeer) The French Southern Terres and Seas include the Crozet Archipelago, the Kerguelen Islands, Saint-Paul and Amsterdam Islands as well as 60 small sub-Antarctic islands. The region covers an area of more than 67 million ha and supports one of the highest concentrations of birds and marine mammals in the world. It has In particular the largest population of King Penguins and Yellow-nosed albatrosses in the world.

Iceland’s Vatnajökull National Park (Photo:Spotlight) This Vatnajökull National Park covers an area of over 1,400,000 ha, nearly 14% of Iceland’s territory. It numbers ten central volcanoes, eight of which are subglacial. Iceland’s highest peak, Hvannadalshnjúkur, is 2109.6 metres high and sits in the southern part of the glacier. The area features natural phenomena such as the Askja caldera, the ‘queen of Icelandic mountains’ Herðubreið, Dettifoss waterfall, and Ásbyrgi glacial canyon.

Brazilian Paraty and Ilha Grande (Photo: Fondos de Pantalla) The Brazilian colonial port town of Paraty and the nearby region of Ilha Grande were chosen as a mixed culture and biodiversity site due to the cultural and natural value of the area. Located between the Serra da Bocaina mountain range and the Atlantic Ocean, Paraty is one of Brazil's best-preserved coastal towns and one of the world's five key biodiversity hotspots. The area is home to an impressive diversity of species, some of which are threatened, such as the jaguar, the white-lipped peccary and several primate species, including the woolly spider monkey, which are emblematic of the site.

Ancient ferrous metallurgy sites of Burkina Faso (Photo: Corriere) The ancient ferrous metallurgy sites of Burkina Faso are composed of five elements located in different provinces of the country, in which, Douroula, which dates back to the 8th century BCE, is the oldest evidence of the development of iron production found in Burkina Faso. The other components of the property are Tiwêga, Yamané, Kindibo and Békuy. Even though iron ore reduction - obtaining iron from ore - is no longer practiced today, village blacksmiths still play a major role in supplying tools, while taking part in various rituals.

Ancient Iraqi city of Babylon (Photo: Daily Star) Situated 85 km south of Baghdad, the site includes the ruins of the city which was the capital of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Its remains, outer and inner-city walls, gates, palaces and temples, are a unique testimony to one of the most influential empires of the ancient world. The city's association with one of the seven wonders of the ancient world—the Hanging Gardens—has also inspired artistic, popular and religious culture on a global scale.

8 additional World Heritage Sites recognized by UNESCO