Canada is the treasure of rich culture and heritage and houses numerous sites, which have been included among the current 981 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These sites are the assets of the country, which provide a great boost to the tourism industry, attracting thousands of tourists from all corners of the world, every year.
Listed below are the top 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Canada:
1.Canadian Rocky Mountain Park
Four national parks in Western Canada, comprising of Banff, Jasper, Yoho, and Kootenay national parks, is considered as a major UNESCO World Heritage Site in Canada, since 1984. The high peaks of Mount Hamber, Mount Robson and Mount Assiniboine present a magnificent view for the visitors, who can also enjoy activities like trekking and hiking here.
2.Gros Mome National Park
Included by UNESCO in its list of World Heritage Sites in 1987, the Gros Mome National Park is nothing short of geological wonder, showcasing the brilliant red and yellow colors of the mantel of the earth in its Tablelands, making it the only place on the earth, where the deep crust becomes visible.
3.Dinosaur Provincial Park
Next among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Canada is the Dinosaur National Park in Alberta, which got this status in 1979. This geographical wonder is known for holding reptile fossils as well as dinosaur bones of more than 35 species, which are nearly 75 million years old.
4.Historic District of Old Quebec
The historic colonial fortifications of the once military city of Quebec make it feature next on the list. Quebec City is the only walled city in North America and many of the historic buildings of the city were built before 1850.
5.Kluane/Wrangell St-Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alesk
The national parks of Kluane, Wrangell St-Elias, Glacier Bay, and Tatshenshini-Alesk are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Canada. These parks are home to some magnificent mountain peaks, in addition to the greatest ice fields, out of the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. The parks, which were deemed as heritage sites in 1979 have huge grizzlies and a large number of Dall sheep.
6.Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
This site is included among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1981, on account of its cultural heritage, being used by the aboriginals to hunt American bison, some 6000 years ago. They would use a unique method of hunting by chasing the animals to the edge of the cliff and then harvesting them at the base of the crag.
7.L Anse aux Meadows
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Canada is the L Anse aux Meadows, which is located at the tip of Great Northern Peninsula of Labrador and Newfoundland. The place is known for the discovery of the thousand-year-old Viking settlement and was included in the heritage sites in 1978.
8.Miguasha National Park
Declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, Miguasha National Park is the site where 370 million years old fossils were discovered, showing the stages of evolution, from fish to tadpoles.
9.Old Town Lunenburg
The Old Town of Lunenburg dates back to the year 1753 and has wooden buildings, most of which are more than 100 years old, some of them even being nearly 200 years old. The 18th Century British pre-planned town was named as a heritage site by UNESCO in 1995.
10.Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal, a 2002 km canal built in the 1800s, from Ottawa to Lake Ontario is a true example of an engineering masterpiece, which has been included in the list of top 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Canada. It has been included in the list more recently, in 2007.
Some other heritage sites in the country include Sgang Gwaay, Waterton Glacier International Peace Park, Nahanni Park, and Wood Buffalo National Park.