UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India (2026): Complete List & Exam Notes

India is among the world's richest heritage nations. As of 2026, the country has 45 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, ranking 6th globally (behind Italy, China, Germany, France and Spain). This is one of the most repeated topics in GK/GS — questions usually test the total count, category split, recent additions, year, state and the only mixed site.

Swipe the timeline sideways on mobile. Cultural sites dominate — 37 of the 45.

• The World Heritage Convention was adopted by UNESCO in 1972; India ratified it in 1977.
• Sites are chosen for Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) against 10 selection criteria (six cultural + four natural).
• Inscriptions are decided by the World Heritage Committee (21 member states) at its annual session.
• A country first proposes sites on a Tentative List before they can be nominated for the final list.
• Sites fall into three categories: Cultural, Natural, and Mixed (both values).

India's 37 cultural sites span rock-cut caves, temple complexes, forts, stepwells and living cities.

• Ajanta & Ellora Caves (Maharashtra) — Buddhist, Hindu and Jain sanctuaries carved into basalt; Ellora holds the monolithic Kailasa temple.
• Taj Mahal, Agra Fort & Qutb Minar — the classic Mughal & Sultanate showpieces of the north.
• Group of Monuments at Hampi (Karnataka) — ruins of the Vijayanagara Empire amid boulder terrain.

• Great Living Chola Temples (Tamil Nadu) — still in active worship; famous for towering granite vimanas.
• Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas (Karnataka, 2023) — Belur, Halebidu & Somnathapura soapstone carvings.

• Hill Forts of Rajasthan — six forts including Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh & Jaisalmer.
• Jaipur City & Historic Ahmadabad — India's recognised living urban settlements.
• Maratha Military Landscapes (2025) — 12 forts (11 in Maharashtra + Gingee in Tamil Nadu).

Only seven natural sites — a small, high-yield set worth memorising completely.

• Kaziranga National Park (Assam) — the great one-horned rhinoceros.
• Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) — famed migratory bird wetland.
• Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (Assam) — elephants, pygmy hogs, golden langurs.
• Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal) — world's largest mangrove delta; Royal Bengal tiger.
• Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers (Uttarakhand) — alpine meadows & blooms.
• Western Ghats — older than the Himalayas; a top biodiversity hotspot across six states.
• Great Himalayan National Park (Himachal Pradesh) — snow leopard & Western tragopan habitat.

Khangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim, 2016) is India's only site recognised under both natural and cultural criteria. Centred on the world's third-highest peak, it is revered in Tibetan Buddhist tradition as a Beyul (sacred hidden land) by the Lepcha and Bhutia communities.

Site · State/UT · Year of inscription · Category. Scroll the table sideways on mobile.

Reference map (2024 edition — shows 42 sites). India's current total is 45; use the full site-by-site table above for the latest, including Moidams (2024), Maratha Military Landscapes (2025) and Sarnath (2026).

• Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath (2026) — India's 45th site; inscribed at the 48th session in Busan, South Korea. Where Buddha gave his first sermon.
• Maratha Military Landscapes (2025) — 44th site; 47th session; 12 forts (11 Maharashtra + Gingee, Tamil Nadu).
• Moidams of the Ahom Dynasty, Assam (2024) — 43rd site; 46th session held in New Delhi; India's first cultural site from the North-East.

• First inscribed (1983): Agra Fort, Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves & Taj Mahal.
• First natural sites (1985): Kaziranga, Keoladeo & Manas.
• Only mixed site: Khangchendzonga National Park (2016).
• Latest site: Ancient Buddhist Site, Sarnath (2026).
• State with most sites: Maharashtra (followed by Karnataka, UP, Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP).
• India's global rank: 6th, with 45 sites.

You don't need every count — just the leaders and the multi-state entries:

• Maharashtra tops the list (Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta, CST, Victorian/Art Deco, plus a share of Western Ghats & Maratha forts).
• Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh follow closely.
• Multi-state: Western Ghats (6 states) and Mountain Railways (WB, TN, HP).