The news agency “Trend” with reference to Turkmenistan’s state television reports that Turkmenistan seeks to include the Karakum Desert in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a unique ecological system.
The desert occupies about 70 percent, or 350,000 km², of the area of Turkmenistan. Ancient Merv, Kunya-Urgench and ancient Nissa have been previously included into the UNESCO World Heritage list.
In December 2017 the Turkmen folk dance “Kushtdepdi” was included in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Wikipedia: A World Heritage site is a landmark or area which is selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance, and is legally protected by international treaties.
Below are the following criteria for including the natural phenomena in the list:
contains superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.
is an outstanding example representing major stages of Earth’s history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features.
is an outstanding example representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems, and communities of plants and animals.
contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.