Eight exceptionally successful countries

Italy
- 1995 - 1997 (3 years) Italy achieved 18 inscriptions.
- 1997 Italy gains 10 new inscriptions alone!
- 2000 - 2004 (5 years) Italy achieved 9 inscriptions.

China
- 2003 - 2012 (10 years) China despite (2) nomination rule, gains 15 new inscriptions. China managed at least (1) inscription a year for a decade.
- 13 different years China achieved (2) or more inscriptions.

Iran
- 2003 - 2012 (10 years) Iran despite (2) nomination rule, gains 12 new inscriptions. Only in 2007 did Iran fail to have an inscription.

Japan
- 1993 - 2007 (15 years) Every Japan nomination (14 total) brought before the WHC during this time gained inscription on its 1st attempt.

Spain
- 1993 - 2000 (8 years) Spain achieved 20 inscriptions. Only in 1995 did Spain fail to have an inscription.

France (Consistant amount of inscriptions since 1st WHC)
- 1979 - 1983 (5 years) France achieved 14 inscriptions.
- 1996 - 2000 (5 years) France achieved 8 inscriptions.
- 2007 - 2012 (5 years) France achieved 7 inscriptions.

Germany
- 1991 - 2000 (10 years) Germany achieved 15 inscriptions. Only in 1997 did Germany fail to gain an inscription.

Mexico
- 1987 - 1996 (10 years) Mexico achieved 16 inscriptions, despite no inscriptions in 1990, 1991, and 1995.

*Fast start, but inscriptions have considerably slowed down

USA
- 1978 - 1987 (First 10 years of WHC) the United States achieved 17 inscriptions. India and the US had the most inscriptions (17) by 1987. Only 4 inscriptions since 1987.

India
- 1983 - 1987 (5 years) India achieved 17 inscriptions. Perhaps more suprising is the last 25 years, in which India has only gained 12 new inscriptions.

United Kingdom
- 1986 - 1988 (3 years) the UK achieved 14 inscriptions. For the next 24 years, the UK has only equaled their first 3 years with 14 new inscriptions.

Greece
- 1986 - 1990 (5 years) Greece achieved 12 inscriptions. The last 22 years only saw Greece gain 5 new insciptions.

Tunisia
1979-1988 Also pretty swift out of the blocks then nothing much has happened since. 7 sites in the first 9 years, 4 coming in the first 2 years, then only one since. Nothing at all in the last 15 years.

and following the north African theme...

Algeria
1980-1982 6 sites in two sessions, 1 more in 1992 Then nothing since. Probably explainable though.

Bulgaria
4 in 1979, 4 in 1983, 1 in 1985. None since.

On the WHC 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990.

The Communist party of Bulgaria stepped down in Dec 1989 ........ since when no doubt attention has been concentrated elsewhere.

The T LIst of 13 sites is still dominated by ones added in 1984 but there were additions in 2004 (1) and 2011 (4) so maybe the country is awakening from its WHS slumber. It also extended Pirin in 2010.

It was certainly vastly over-represented in the early years -but I guess it had an enthusiastic department for whom such matters were a way of escaping the daily Communist drudgery and no doubt it was seen as having a propaganda value too.

I have been to a few of its T List sites but am not aware of any great gap which they would fill. Perhaps they will have to await the end of Bukova's "reign" as UNESCO Director General beforre it would be "seemly" to make another inscription? (she has 4 years starting 2009)

Czech Republic
- 1992 - 2001 (10 years) Czech Republic achieved 11 inscriptions. Only 1 inscription since 2001.

There are quite a few very succesful smaller countries. I just find it amazing that Italy achieved 10 inscriptions in 1997. Or Spain's more than 20 inscriptions in less than 10 years in the 90's. The consistancy of France to gain a large amount of inscriptions for over 30 years is also impressive. In the last 10 years, it is clear China and Iran have been the most successful.

The US has also woke up from a nearly 2 decade WHS slumber. Unlike the UK and Greece, who have little left to bring to the WHC, it is likely the US will gain many more insciptions in the coming years, if they remain active. (Sorry to the UK, I like the new UK T-list, but I feel it will result in only a few new inscriptions)

Top Ten (World Heritage Listings)

Italy - 49 Inscriptions (1 nomination for 2014)
China - 45 Inscriptions (2 nominations for 2014)
Spain - 44 Inscriptions (1 nomination for 2014)
France - 38 Inscriptions (2 nominations for 2014)
Germany - 38 Inscriptions (1 nomination for 2014)
Mexico - 32 Inscriptions (0 nominations for 2014)
India - 30 Inscriptions (1 nomination for 2014)
United Kingdom - 28 Inscriptions (0 nominations for 2014)
Russia - 25 Inscriptions (1 nomination for 2014)
United States - 21 Inscriptions (1 nomination for 2014)

Total: 350 WHS (36% of the World Heritage List)
- 10 nominations from these countries will be evaluated in 2014
- 83% of these 350 world heritage sites are cultural
- 8/10 countries are ranked in the top 10 regarding GDP (nominal)
- The 3 most populous nations are represented here
- Iran will likely enter the "top ten" in the near furture (5-10 years)