World heritage is a term comprised of both cultural and natural dimensions. The UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage describes cultural heritage as monuments, groups of buildings and sites of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, ethnology or anthropology, aesthetics, art or science and the natural heritage, as natural features, geological and physiographical formations, habitats and areas and natural sites or areas of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty.

According the Convention, state members are obliged to ensure effective and active measures for the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage situated on their territory. The Convention also establishes an Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the Cultural and Natural Heritage of Outstanding Universal Value (World Heritage Committee), which is responsible to list world heritage and world heritage in danger, for which assistance has been requested under the Convention.