How Many UNESCO World Heritage Sites Are in India in 2026?
India has 45 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2026: 37 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed. The latest, India's 45th, is the Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh), inscribed on 25 July 2026 at the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, Republic of Korea. With 45 sites India ranks 6th in the world and 2nd in the Asia-Pacific region.
Key takeaway: 45 sites (37 + 7 + 1). 43rd = Moidams of Assam (2024, New Delhi session), 44th = Maratha Military Landscapes (2025, Paris session), 45th = Sarnath (2026, Busan session). Only mixed site = Khangchendzonga National Park (Sikkim). First sites (1983) = Ajanta, Ellora, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal.
The count and the Sarnath inscription were checked on UNESCO's India page (45 properties) and the Ministry of Culture release on PIB (25 July 2026) on 17 October 2026. Several prep pages still say 43 or 44, so use 45 in every 2026 paper. For nature-based lists see our biosphere reserves in India 2026 and tiger reserves in India 2026.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India: Quick Facts 2026
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| Total sites in India | 45 |
| Cultural / Natural / Mixed | 37 / 7 / 1 |
| Latest (45th) | Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh (25 July 2026) |
| 44th | Maratha Military Landscapes of India (2025) |
| 43rd | Moidams, the mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty, Assam (2024) |
| First inscribed (1983) | Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal |
| Only mixed site | Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim (2016) |
| Transnational site | The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (Capitol Complex, Chandigarh), shared with six other countries |
| India's world rank | 6th by number of sites |
| India's tentative list | 69 sites (Ministry of Culture, July 2026) |
| 48th Committee session | Busan, Republic of Korea, 19-29 July 2026; 25 new sites worldwide |
| World total after 2026 session | 1,273 sites in 173 countries (UNESCO) |
| Convention | 1972 World Heritage Convention; India ratified it in 1977 |
Full List of 45 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India (Year-Wise)
| No. | Site | State / UT | Year | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ajanta Caves | Maharashtra | 1983 | Cultural |
| 2 | Ellora Caves | Maharashtra | 1983 | Cultural |
| 3 | Agra Fort | Uttar Pradesh | 1983 | Cultural |
| 4 | Taj Mahal | Uttar Pradesh | 1983 | Cultural |
| 5 | Sun Temple, Konark | Odisha | 1984 | Cultural |
| 6 | Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram | Tamil Nadu | 1984 | Cultural |
| 7 | Kaziranga National Park | Assam | 1985 | Natural |
| 8 | Manas Wildlife Sanctuary | Assam | 1985 | Natural |
| 9 | Keoladeo National Park | Rajasthan | 1985 | Natural |
| 10 | Churches and Convents of Goa | Goa | 1986 | Cultural |
| 11 | Khajuraho Group of Monuments | Madhya Pradesh | 1986 | Cultural |
| 12 | Group of Monuments at Hampi | Karnataka | 1986 | Cultural |
| 13 | Fatehpur Sikri | Uttar Pradesh | 1986 | Cultural |
| 14 | Group of Monuments at Pattadakal | Karnataka | 1987 | Cultural |
| 15 | Elephanta Caves | Maharashtra | 1987 | Cultural |
| 16 | Great Living Chola Temples | Tamil Nadu | 1987 | Cultural |
| 17 | Sundarbans National Park | West Bengal | 1987 | Natural |
| 18 | Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks | Uttarakhand | 1988 | Natural |
| 19 | Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi | Madhya Pradesh | 1989 | Cultural |
| 20 | Humayun's Tomb | Delhi | 1993 | Cultural |
| 21 | Qutb Minar and its Monuments | Delhi | 1993 | Cultural |
| 22 | Mountain Railways of India | West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh | 1999 | Cultural |
| 23 | Mahabodhi Temple Complex, Bodh Gaya | Bihar | 2002 | Cultural |
| 24 | Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka | Madhya Pradesh | 2003 | Cultural |
| 25 | Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus | Maharashtra | 2004 | Cultural |
| 26 | Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park | Gujarat | 2004 | Cultural |
| 27 | Red Fort Complex | Delhi | 2007 | Cultural |
| 28 | Jantar Mantar, Jaipur | Rajasthan | 2010 | Cultural |
| 29 | Western Ghats | Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu | 2012 | Natural |
| 30 | Hill Forts of Rajasthan | Rajasthan | 2013 | Cultural |
| 31 | Rani-ki-Vav, Patan | Gujarat | 2014 | Cultural |
| 32 | Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area | Himachal Pradesh | 2014 | Natural |
| 33 | Nalanda Mahavihara | Bihar | 2016 | Cultural |
| 34 | Khangchendzonga National Park | Sikkim | 2016 | Mixed |
| 35 | Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (Capitol Complex) | Chandigarh | 2016 | Cultural |
| 36 | Historic City of Ahmadabad | Gujarat | 2017 | Cultural |
| 37 | Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai | Maharashtra | 2018 | Cultural |
| 38 | Jaipur City | Rajasthan | 2019 | Cultural |
| 39 | Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple | Telangana | 2021 | Cultural |
| 40 | Dholavira: a Harappan City | Gujarat | 2021 | Cultural |
| 41 | Santiniketan | West Bengal | 2023 | Cultural |
| 42 | Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas | Karnataka | 2023 | Cultural |
| 43 | Moidams of the Ahom Dynasty | Assam | 2024 | Cultural |
| 44 | Maratha Military Landscapes of India | Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu | 2025 | Cultural |
| 45 | Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath | Uttar Pradesh | 2026 | Cultural |
The Mountain Railways of India entry covers three railways: Darjeeling Himalayan (1999), Nilgiri Mountain (added 2005) and Kalka-Shimla (added 2008). It counts as one site.
7 Natural and 1 Mixed World Heritage Sites of India
| Type | Sites |
|---|---|
| Natural (7) | Kaziranga NP, Manas WLS, Keoladeo NP, Sundarbans NP, Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers NPs, Western Ghats, Great Himalayan NP Conservation Area |
| Mixed (1) | Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim |
Trick for the 7 natural sites: "KaMaKe SuNa WeGo" = Kaziranga, Manas, Keoladeo, Sundarbans, Nanda Devi, Western Ghats, Great Himalayan.
Latest UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India (2021-2026)
| Year | Site | Committee session | India's count after it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Ramappa Temple, Telangana | 44th (online, Fuzhou) | 39 |
| 2021 | Dholavira, Gujarat | 44th | 40 |
| 2023 | Santiniketan, West Bengal | 45th (Riyadh) | 41 |
| 2023 | Hoysala temples, Karnataka | 45th (Riyadh) | 42 |
| 2024 | Moidams, Assam | 46th (New Delhi) | 43 |
| 2025 | Maratha Military Landscapes | 47th (Paris) | 44 |
| 2026 | Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh | 48th (Busan) | 45 |
Sarnath: India's 45th World Heritage Site (key points)
- Inscribed on 25 July 2026 at the 48th session in Busan, as India's official nomination for the 2025-26 cycle.
- Sarnath, near Varanasi, is where the Buddha gave his first sermon (Dharmachakra Pravartana) after enlightenment.
- It had been on India's tentative list since 1998.
- It is Uttar Pradesh's 4th World Heritage Site, after the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.
- Monuments commonly asked: the Dhamek Stupa, the Dharmarajika Stupa remains and the Ashokan pillar, whose Lion Capital is India's national emblem.
State-Wise UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India
| State | Count | Sites (short names) |
|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 5 (+2 shared) | Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta, CST, Mumbai Victorian Gothic and Art Deco; plus shared Western Ghats and Maratha Military Landscapes |
| Uttar Pradesh | 4 | Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri, Sarnath |
| Rajasthan | 4 | Keoladeo, Jantar Mantar, Hill Forts, Jaipur City |
| Gujarat | 4 | Champaner-Pavagadh, Rani-ki-Vav, Ahmadabad, Dholavira |
| Karnataka | 3 (+1 shared) | Hampi, Pattadakal, Hoysala temples; plus Western Ghats |
| Tamil Nadu | 2 (+3 shared) | Mahabalipuram, Chola Temples; plus Nilgiri railway, Western Ghats, Gingee fort in Maratha Landscapes |
| Madhya Pradesh | 3 | Khajuraho, Sanchi, Bhimbetka |
| Assam | 3 | Kaziranga, Manas, Moidams |
| Delhi | 3 | Humayun's Tomb, Qutb Minar, Red Fort |
| Bihar | 2 | Mahabodhi Temple, Nalanda |
| West Bengal | 2 (+1 shared) | Sundarbans, Santiniketan; plus Darjeeling railway |
Maharashtra has the most: 5 sites of its own plus 2 shared (Western Ghats and Maratha Military Landscapes), so 7 sites touch the state. Counting rules for shared sites differ between books, so exams usually ask about a named site rather than a state total.
Tricks to Remember UNESCO Sites in India
- 1983 first batch "AE-AT": Ajanta, Ellora, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal.
- Assam's three "KMM": Kaziranga, Manas, Moidams.
- Buddhist circuit on the list: Sanchi (1989), Mahabodhi (2002), Nalanda (2016), Sarnath (2026). Ajanta also has Buddhist caves.
- Last three sessions, last three sites: New Delhi 2024 (Moidams), Paris 2025 (Maratha forts), Busan 2026 (Sarnath).
Common Mistakes in UNESCO Heritage Site Questions
- Writing 43 or 44 for 2026. The answer is 45 after Sarnath.
- Calling Moidams the latest. It is 43rd; Sarnath is latest.
- Saying India has two mixed sites. Only Khangchendzonga is mixed.
- Treating Manas as only a tiger reserve. It is also a natural World Heritage Site (and a national biosphere reserve that is not on UNESCO's MAB list).
UNESCO World Heritage Sites Questions with Answers
- How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites does India have in 2026? Answer: 45.
- Which is India's 45th World Heritage Site? Answer: Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath (2026).
- Where was the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee held? Answer: Busan, Republic of Korea (July 2026).
- Which is India's only mixed World Heritage Site? Answer: Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim.
- Which site was inscribed as India's 43rd World Heritage Site? Answer: Moidams of the Ahom dynasty, Assam (2024).
- Maratha Military Landscapes cover forts in which two states? Answer: Maharashtra (11 forts) and Tamil Nadu (Gingee).
- Rani-ki-Vav is located in which city? Answer: Patan, Gujarat.
- How many natural World Heritage Sites does India have? Answer: 7.
- Which Telangana temple is a World Heritage Site? Answer: Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, 2021.
- Which four sites were India's first, in 1983? Answer: Ajanta, Ellora, Agra Fort and Taj Mahal.
Practise mixed GK in the SSC CGL General Awareness Sectional Mock Test 05 and the SSC CGL Tier 1 Current Affairs Mock (September 2026).
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India FAQs
How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites are there in India?
45 as of October 2026: 37 cultural, 7 natural and 1 mixed.
What is the latest UNESCO World Heritage Site in India?
The Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh, inscribed on 25 July 2026.
Which was the 44th World Heritage Site of India?
The Maratha Military Landscapes of India, inscribed in 2025 at the 47th session in Paris.
What is India's world rank in World Heritage Sites?
6th in the world and 2nd in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the Ministry of Culture.
Which was the first World Heritage Site in India?
Four sites were inscribed together in 1983: Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal.
How many sites are on India's tentative list?
69 sites, as stated by the Ministry of Culture in July 2026.
Practice Next
- Mock tests: SSC CGL General Awareness Sectional Mock Test 06 and SSC General Awareness Mock Test: Current Affairs June-July 2026.
- Related notes: important days list 2026, biosphere reserves in India 2026, tiger reserves in India 2026, 12 schedules of the Indian Constitution trick, classical dances of India and their states, national parks in India list 2026, Mughal emperors list in order and folk dances of India state wise.
- Exam details: SSC CGL 2026 and SSC CHSL 2026.
- Browse all study notes.