Outposts of Tyranny

US secretary of State Condoleezza Rice once outlined six “outposts of tyranny”. I have lived in, and traveled through, many countries that were at some given time were out of favor of the American government and therefore the American press. I came to realize that perception is relative and the minutia of everyday life in these places provides a very different perpective on who “they” are and of the history of a region.

Although the political regimes of Ms. Rice’s “Tyrannical Six” may indeed be considered tyrannical, I began to consider the countries themselves. What joy to locals find amongst the horror and repression. Here’s what I found:

Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List:

Cuba:

Cultural

• Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee Plantations in the South-East of Cuba (2000)
• Old Havana and its Fortifications (1982)
• San Pedro de la Roca Castle, Santiago de Cuba (1997)
• Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios (1988)
• Urban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos (2005)
• Viñales Valley (1999)

Natural

• Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (2001)
• Desembarco del Granma National Park (1999)

Zimbabwe

Cultural

Zimbabwe has no listed cultural World Heritage Sites

Natural

• Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas (1984)
• Great Zimbabwe National Monument (1986)
• Khami Ruins National Monument (1986)
• Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls (1989) *
• Matobo Hills (2003)

Iran

Cultural

Iran has no listed cultural World Heritage Sites

Natural

• Meidan Emam, Esfahan (1979)
• Persepolis (1979)
• Tchogha Zanbil (1979)
• Takht-e Soleyman (2003)
• Bam and its Cultural Landscape (2004)
• Pasargadae (2004)
• Soltaniyeh (2005)

Belarus

Cultural

Belarus has no listed cultural World Heritage Sites

Natural

• Belovezhskaya Pushcha / Białowieża Forest (1979, 1992) *
• Mir Castle Complex (2000)
• Architectural, Residential and Cultural Complex of the Radziwill Family at Nesvizh (2005)
• Struve Geodetic Arc (2005)

North Korea

Cultural

North Korea has no listed cultural World Heritage Sites. I find this hard to believe considering the country has such a long history and there are sites such as the “Burial Mounds of Goguryo Dynasty: Kangseo Tumuli”. Image above.

Burma

Burma too has neither cultural nor natural heritage sites listed.