The UNESCO committee aims to identify and protect the world's most valuable cultural and natural sites

The UNESCO committee aims to identify and protect the world's most valuable cultural and natural sites. It considers if they are at risk from war, tourism, overdevelopment or neglect.

The Amazon rain forest should be high on their agenda but, on top of all items should be over population in a world with dwindling resources. Overpopulation, ignorance, and greed are the main reasons for the destruction of ancient treasures and the habitat we live in.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites are overwhelmingly concentrated in Europe - it has almost half the 830 sites but only about 10% of the world's population. Asia is grossly under-represented but has some spectacular locations that aren't on the list - the Grand Place in Thailand for one. And surely Began in Burma should be on the list - it rivals Angkor Wat - and due to the political situation it probably warrants even more protection just as sites in Iraq do.