Medieval crusader castles in Syria and ancient irrigation systems in Oman were among 18 new cultural and natural sites added to the UN's World Heritage list this week, officials said today.
Unesco, the UN environmental and cultural body, also added the Vizcaya Bridge in Spain and the mining landscapes of Cornwall and west Devon in Britain.
The new sites, added at a meeting of Unesco's World Heritage committee in Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, brings the global list of cultural and natural sites to 830.
Unesco's decision not to protect Mount Everest earlier this week was criticised by environmental groups, who called on the UN body to act because they say global warming is melting the glaciers surrounding the peak.
A Unesco official said more information needed to be gathered before a decision could be made on Everest. She said it could still go on its list at a later date.
In a statement, UNESCO officials praised Oman's ancient Aflaj irrigation system, still in use by its inhabitants today, as "an exceptionally well-preserved form of land use".
The committee added two castles in Syria built by medieval military orders, including Krak des Chevaliers, which it ranked among the best-preserved examples of crusader castles.
Also listed were on Thursday were Sewell Mining Town in Chile, the archaeological site of Yin Xu in China and the Old Town in Regensburg, Germany.