Montreal - The annual scramble for world heritage status opens Wednesday in Quebec City, where 41 countries are seeking UNESCO designation for cultural or natural sites. In the Middle East, applicants include Yemen for its Socotra Archipelago; Saudi Arabia for archaeological site al-Hijr; Iran for the Armenian monastic ensembles in its Azerbaijan province; and Israel for the triple-arch gate at Dan and the Bahai holy places in Haifa and western Galilee.
In Europe, other applicants for natural sites include: Bulgaria, for part of the Pirin National Park; France, for lagoons in the south-west Pacific island of New Caledonia; Iceland for the volcanic island of Surtsey; Italy for sunken volcanic towns west of Naples; and Russian for its Putorana plateau.
European aspirants for cultural designation include: Albania for the Ottoman settlements in Berat and Gjirokastra; Croatia for the Stari Grad Plain; Czech Republic for the spa at Luhacovice; France for fortifications built by 17th-century military engineer Marquis de Vauban; Germany for housing estates built in the Berlin Modern Style; Italy for Mantua and Sabbioneta; San Marino for its historic centre and Mount Titano; Slovakia for wooden churches in the Carpathian Mountains; Spain for more Palaeolithic cave art in its northern region; Switzerland and Italy for the Rhaetian Railway in the Albula- Bernina region; Britain for the Antonine Wall of the Roman Empire; and Hungary and Slovakia in a joint application for designation of a network of fortifications where the Danube and Vah rivers join in Komarno.
In Asia, China wants designation for Mount Sanqingshan National Park and for its earthen architecture, called fujian tulou, in its southern region; Kazakhstan for the steppe and lakes of its northern region; Mongolia for Hovsgol Lake; India for its Mountain Railways and the river island of Majuli; Indonesia for the cultural landscape of Bali province; Japan for the Buddhist cultural landscape of Hiraizumi; Kyrgyzstan for the sacred mountain of Sulaiman-Too; Malaysia for Melaka and George Town; Papua New Guinea for the Kuk early farming site; and the Pacific island of Vanuatu for chief Roi Mata's domain.
In Africa, Kenya is applying for the sacred Mijikenda Kaya forests along the Indian Ocean coast, and Mauritius for the Le Morne cultural landscape.
In Latin America, Bolivia wants designation for the quarry of the Fabrica Nacional de Cementos; Mexico for its monarch butterfly reserve and the town of San Miguel; Argentina for the cultural landscape of Buenos Aires; Brazil for Sao Francisco square in the city of Sao Cristovao; Cuba for the urban scenery of Camaguey; and Nicaragua for its Leon Cathedral.
