List of World Heritage Sites in Brazil

Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves

Brasília

Brazilian Atlantic Islands

Central Amazon Conservation Complex

Cerrado

Discovery Coast

Salvador de Bahia

São Luís

Diamantina

Goiás

Olinda

Ouro Preto

Iguaçu National Park

Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis

Pantanal

Rio de Janeiro

Congonhas

São Cristóvão

Serra da Capivara

Locations of World Heritage Sites in Brazil

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Brazil accepted the convention on September 1, 1977, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list.

Sites in Brazil were first inscribed on the list at the 4th Session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Paris, France in 1980. At that session, one site was added: the "Historic Town of Ouro Preto". As of July 2014, Brazil has 19 total sites inscribed on the list. Of these one site is shared with other countries: "Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis:" with Argentina. Seven World Heritage Sites in Brazil are of the natural type, all others are cultural sites.

World Heritage Sites

The table lists information about each World Heritage Site:

Name: as listed by the World Heritage Committee

Location: city and region of site

Area: size of property and buffer zone

UNESCO data: the site's reference number; the year the site was inscribed on the World Heritage List; the criteria it was listed under: criteria i through vi are cultural, while vii through x are natural; (the column sorts by year added to the list)

Description: brief description of the site

  * Trans-border site

Site	Image	Location	Area ha (acre)	UNESCO data	Description
Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves		Paraná, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states, Brazil	468,193 (1,156,930); buffer zone 1,223,557 (3,023,480)	893; 1999; vii, ix, x	The site comprises some of the last remaining Atlantic Forests and shows a very high diversity with many rare and endemic species. As such it is of high interest both for scientists and for conservation.
Brasília		Federal District, Brazil	5000000000000000000♠—	445; 1987; i, iv	Planned and developed by Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer in 1956, Brasília was created ex nihilo in order to move the capital from Rio de Janeiro to a more central position. Together with Chandigarh in India it is the only place where Corbusier's design principles of urbanism have been applied on large scale.
Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves		Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil	42,270 (104,500); buffer zone 140,713 (347,710)	1000; 2001; vii, ix, x	As one of the few insular habitats in the South Atlantic, the site is essential as feeding ground and reproduction space for marine organisms including endangered and threatened species, most notably the hawksbill sea turtle.
Central Amazon Conservation Complex		State of Amazonas, Brazil	5,323,018 (13,153,460)	998; 2000; ix, x	As the largest protected area in the Amazon basin, the site is notable for its high biodiversity, range of habitats such as várzea and igapó forests and number of endangered species. It has been recognized by various conservation agencies as a high priority region.
Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks		Central Brazil Plateau, State of Goiás, Brazil	367,356 (907,760)	1035; 2001; ix, x	The two parks are characteristic of the cerrado, one of the world's oldest tropical ecosystems and an important refuge for species in times of climate change.
Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves		Atlantic Coast, Bahia and Espírito Santo states, Brazil	111,930 (276,600)	892; 1999; ix, x	The site comprises some of the last remaining Atlantic Forests and shows a very high diversity with many rare and endemic species. As such it is of high interest both for scientists and for conservation.
Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia		Bahia state, Brazil	5000000000000000000♠—	309; 1985; iv, vi	The colonial old town of the first Brazilian capital and town of the first slave market in the New World, has preserved a large number of brightly colored Renaissance houses decorated with stucco work from the 16th to 18th centuries.
Historic Centre of São Luís		Maranhão state, Brazil	5000000000000000000♠—	821; 1997; iii, iv, v	São Luís has preserved the complete rectangular town plan and a large number of historical buildings making it a prime example of a Portuguese colonial town.
Historic Centre of the Town of Diamantina		Minas Gerais, Brazil	29 (72)	890; 1999; ii, iv	A well-preserved example of Baroque architecture, this 18th-century colonial town was founded in an inhospitable environment of rocky mountains and became a center of diamond mining in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Historic Centre of the Town of Goiás		Goiás, Brazil	40 (99); buffer zone 44 (110)	993; 2001; ii, iv	Founded in 1727 by the bandeirante explorer Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva, Goiás has preserved much of its colonial heritage and is an example of a European settlement in the interior of South America.
Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda		Pernambuco, Brazil	120 (300); buffer zone 920 (2,300)	189; 1982; ii, iv	Founded in 1537 the town prospered as a centre of sugar-cane production. Following looting by the Dutch in the 17th century, the historic centre dates largely to the 18th century with a harmonious combination of buildings, gardens, churches, convents and chapels.
Historic Town of Ouro Preto		Minas Gerais, Brazil	5000000000000000000♠—	124; 1980; i, iii	The prosperity of the town as the center of the Brazilian gold rush in the 18th century is reflected in a large number of preserved churches, bridges and fountains many of them designed by the Baroque sculptor Aleijadinho.
Iguaçu National Park		Paraná, Brazil	170,086 (420,290)	355; 1986; vii, x	Together with Iguazú National Park on the Argentinian side, the park protects Iguazu Falls, one of the world's largest waterfalls, and is home to many rare and endangered species such as giant anteater or the giant otter. The site had been listed as endangered 1999–2001 due to an illegally opened road through the park, dams on the Iguazu River and helicopter flights.
Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Miní, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa María Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of São Miguel das Missões (Brazil)		Misiones Province, Argentina* and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil*	5000000000000000000♠—	275; 1983; iv	Each of the five ruined Spanish Jesuit missions founded amidst a tropical forest in the land of the Guaraní people in the 17th and 18th centuries is characterized by a specific design.
Pantanal Conservation Area		Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso, Brazil	187,818 (464,110)	999; 2000; vii, ix, x
Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes Between the Mountain and the Sea		Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	7,249 (17,910); buffer zone 8,621 (21,300)	1100; 2012; vi	The listed site consists of an exceptional urban setting rather than built heritage. It encompasses the key natural elements that have shaped and inspired the development of the city: from the highest points of the Tijuca National Park’s mountains down to the sea. They also include the Botanical Gardens, established in 1808, Corcovado Mountain with its celebrated statue of Christ and the hills around Guanabara Bay, including the extensive designed landscapes along Copacabana Bay which have contributed to the outdoor living culture of this spectacular city. Rio de Janeiro is also recognized for the artistic inspiration it has provided to musicians, landscapers and urbanists.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas		Congonhas, Minas Gerais, Brazil	5000000000000000000♠—	334; 1985; i, iv
São Francisco Square in the Town of São Cristóvão		São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil	3.00 (7.4); buffer zone 2,500 (6,200)	1272; 2010; ii, iv
Serra da Capivara National Park		Piauí, Brazil	5000000000000000000♠—	606; 1991; iii

Tentative List

In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage list, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage list are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. As of 2015, Brazil recorded 24 sites on its tentative list. The sites, along with the date they were included on the tentative list are:

1. Réserve biologique d'Atol das Rocas (Rio Grande do Norte) (06/09/1996)
2. Amazonia Theaters (Teatro Amazonas and Theatro da Paz) (30/01/2015)
3. Anavilhanas Ecological Station (16/09/1998)
4. Brazilian Fortresses Ensemble (30/01/2015)
5. Canyon du Rio Peruaçu, Minas Gerais (11/03/1998)
6. Cavernas do Peruaçu Federal Environmental Protection Area (APA) / Veredas Do Peruaçu State Park (16/09/1998)
7. Cedro Dam in the Quixadá Monoliths Natural Monument (30/01/2015)
8. Cultural Landscape of Paranapiacaba: Village and railway systems in the Serra do Mar Mountain Range, São Paulo (27/02/2014)
9. Eglise et Monastère de São Bento, Rio de Janeiro (06/09/1996)
10. Ensemble architectonique de tourisme et loisir au bord du lac de Pampulha (06/09/1996)
11. Geoglyphs of Acre (30/01/2015)
12. Gold Route in Parati and its landscape (08/01/2004)
13. Palais de la Culture, ancien siège du Ministère de l'Education et de la Santé, Rio de Janeiro (06/09/1996)
14. Parc national de la Serra da Bocaina (São Paulo - Rio de Janeiro) (06/09/1996)
15. Itacoatiaras of Ingá River (30/01/2015)
16. Parc national du Pico da Neblina (Amazonas) (06/09/1996)
17. Serra da Canastra National Park (16/09/1998)
18. Serra da Capivara National Park and Permanent Preservation Areas (16/09/1998)
19. Serra do Divisor National Park (16/09/1998)
20. Sítio Roberto Burle Marx (30/01/2015)
21. Station écologique de Taim (Rio Grande do Sul) (06/09/1996)
22. Station écologique du Raso da Catarina (Bahia) (06/09/1996)
23. Valongo Wharf Archaeological Site (31/01/2014)
24. Ver-o-Peso (27/02/2014)