UNESCO stands for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization they protect World Heritage Sites like the Great Wall of China, the pyramids and Stonehenge. Established in 1945 Its purpose is to “protect and conserve places of special cultural or physical significance to the common heritage of humanity”. In 1954 the Egyptian government were preparing to build the Aswan Dam which would flood a valley destroying the Abu Simbel and Philae temples. UNESCO raised funding and paid to have the temples disassembled and moved to a safer location and rebuilt exactly as it was thereby preserving it for future generations. As of the end of 2010 there were 911 sites are listed by UNESCO world heritage sites below is a list of some of my favorite lesser know sites.
Aldabra Atoll
Aldabra is the world’s second biggest coral atoll, it is uninhabited, isolated and virtually untouched by humans. The atoll is the home to the world’s largest population of giant tortoises which makes it an extremely valuable conservation site. During the 1700′s the islands were used by the French to hunt giant tortoises as they where considered a delicacy at the time but by the 1900′s they had been hunted to the brink of extinction. The tortoises also share this atoll with the Aldabra Rail, the endangered Malagasy Sacred Ibis, Green and Hawksbill turtles and two species of bats found only on Aldabra. The atoll was declared a world heritage site in 1982 as it is home to so many rare and unusual creatures.