The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation, or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage. Senegal accepted the convention on 13 February 1976. There are seven World Heritage Sites in Senegal, with a further eight on the tentative list.
The first site in Senegal to be inscribed to the list was the Island of Gorée, in 1978. The most recent site listed was the Bassari Country, in 2012. Five sites in Senegal are listed for their cultural and two for their natural properties. The Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary was listed as endangered twice, from 1984 to 1988 and from 2000 to 2006; the first time because of the risks posed by the planned construction of a dam downstream, and a second time because of the spread of the invasive plant Salvinia molesta. Niokolo-Koba National Park was listed as endangered in 2007 because of low mammal populations, management problems, and the planned construction of a dam on the Gambia River upstream. It was removed from the endangered list in 2024 after Senegal had taken several measures to improve the situation. One site, the Stone Circles of Senegambia, is shared with The Gambia. Senegal has served on the World Heritage Committee five times.
UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural.
In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. Senegal maintains eight properties on its tentative list.