The UNESCO World Heritage Committee added 21 sites to its World Heritage List during the group's annual meeting in Istanbul last week (a meeting that had to be cut short because of the failed coup attempt in Turkey). Among the new natural and cultural spots deemed worth preserving: 17 buildings across seven countries designed by 20th-century Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier, the fossil-rich Mistaken Point cliffs off the coast of Newfoundland, and 99 manmade islets built between the 13th and 16th centuries off the coast of what is now Micronesia.
With this year's 21 inductees, that brings the grand total of UNESCO World Heritage Sites across the globe to 1,052. Making it onto the list is considered a boon to nations seeking cultural prestige as well as increased preservation resources and tourism.
The committee also announced sites it was adding to its endangered list due to wars, natural disasters, and economic troubles.
