The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been identifying sights of significant World Heritage Sites around the globe since 1972, under the terms of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Countries are (in theory) obliged to protect Heritage Sites on their territory, although countries have been known to opt out of the convention, and it is difficult to enforce in times of war or other major civil breakdown. Nevertheless the awarding of World Heritage Site status is considered highly prestigious, and the majority of the world's governments take such sites seriously, and even consider gaining such status as for areas of national heritage an achievement.
Each year UNESCO in partnership with the National Geographic Society produce a wall chart (50 × 78 cm) sized map of World Heritage Sites, the 2011/12 map having just become available. These can be ordered from UNESCO in English, French or Spanish, at a cost of €2.50 here, or downloaded as a PDF in English, French. Spanish or Korean here.
The 2011/12 World Heritage Map. UNESCO/National Geographic.
See also John Snow's Cholera Map, Mapping Africa's groundwater resources and United States Geological Survey releases a geological map of Io.
Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.