Everyone recognises a World Heritage site or two, and many pass one every day, like the thousands of Sydney commuters who steam past that thing with the sails every time they embark from Circular Quay: the Sydney Opera House was inscribed on the World Heritage List in June 2007.

Many are the obvious icons (Taj Mahal, Tower of London, Uluru), a few are regrettably lost to us already (the Buddhas of Bamiyan, Afghanistan), others must be little-known gems (pick a ranforest reserve somewhere in central Africa) and a handful appear to be politically inspired (the monuments of Kosovo?). Closer examination might even turn up a few surprising omissions, like the cultural monuments of Burma.

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