19 World Heritage Sites To Visit Before They Disappear

Nineteen of UNESCO's Worlds Heritage Sites, protected for their outstanding natural beauty and biodiversity, are in serious danger of disappearing in the next few years.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature released Wednesday the list of almost 200 of locations in the world protected for their landscape and biodiversity.

It is mainly good news: more than two-thirds of these sites are safe and prospering. However, more than two dozen sites are still listed as critically endangered.

Most of these are in Africa, with five in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are threatened by pollution and human encroachment, such as wars and development.