Why it’s special: This is the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere. Visit for the coral-made islands, more than 500 species of fish, and the "Great Blue Hole," a famed diving spot that's nearly 1,000 feet deep.
Why it’s in danger: In addition to development in the area, extensive mangrove cutting has removed food sources and shelter for marine life.
Why it’s special: The city's home to more than 200 historic monuments, including the intricately decorated, gold-capped Dome of the Rock; the Jewish Quarter's Wailing Wall, which dates back to the 19th century B.C.; and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the home of Christ’s tomb.
Why it’s in danger: The political strife and religious violence are just part of the problem. Urbanization and the crowds of tourists also pose a threat.
Why it’s special: Once an important stopping point along the caravan route to Mecca, the city retains a noteworthy second-century Roman theatre and some of the oldest surviving mosques in Islamic history.
Why it’s in danger: UNESCO added Bosra to the list in June due to increased military conflict.
Why it’s special: Damascus—one of the oldest cities in the Middle East, dating back to the third-century B.C.—contains more than one hundred monuments from various time periods, including the eighth-century Great Mosque of the Umayyads.
Why it’s in danger: It was also added to the list in June due to increased military conflicts.
Why it’s special: This 1.5 million-acre park in Florida has about 14,000 small mangrove-shaded isles, 8,000 of which were manmade more than 500 years ago.
Why it’s in danger: In 1992, Hurricane Andrew damaged the park, but ongoing agricultural and urban development are causing water flow deterioration, damage to marine habitats, and a decline in aquatic animal populations.
Why it’s special: The former capital of Georgia, referred to as the spiritual heart of the country, has three picturesque, clifftop medieval churches.
Why it’s in danger: Lack of preservation: unaddressed deterioration of the architecture and artwork landed this site on the at-risk list.
Why it’s special: The four domed churches (also called Patriarchate of Peć Monastery) combine Byzantine and Romanesque architecture with frescos that date back to the thirteenth-century.
Why it’s in danger: Political instability and a lack of legal protection and conservation are threats.
Why it’s special: This city at the gateway of the Sahara was an intellectual powerhouse in the 15th and 16th centuries: Koranic Sakore University and the three great mosques (Djingareyber, Sankore, and Sidi Yahia) served as the hub of Islamic studies.
Why it’s in danger: Urbanization and lack of maintenance threaten the preservation of the structures.
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