The Most Beautiful Villages in the World is a non-profit private international organization that brings together various territorial associations promoting small inhabited centers of particular historical and landscape interest.

Characteristics

The institution was founded in 2012 in

Gordes Gordes (; ) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. The residents are known as ''Gordiens.'' The nearest big city is Avignon; smaller cities nearby include Cavaillon, L'Isle-s ...

(

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

) by five associations belonging to as many geographical areas:

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Québec Quebec is Canada's largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, New Brunswick to the southeast and a coastal border ...

(

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

) and

Wallonia Wallonia ( ; ; or ), officially the Walloon Region ( ; ), is one of the three communities, regions and language areas of Belgium, regions of Belgium—along with Flemish Region, Flanders and Brussels. Covering the southern portion of the c ...

(

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

also joined later. These territories are represented within The Most Beautiful Villages in the World by the following local associations: * France: , created in 1982 and comprising 172 villages; * Belgium: , created in 1994 and comprising 31 villages; * Canada: Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of Quebec, created in 1997 and comprising 40 villages; * Italy: , created in 2001 and including 361 villages; * Japan:

The Most Beautiful Villages in Japan is a Japanese nonprofit organization of listing some of the most beautiful villages and towns in Japan. The association is active on enhancement and protection of Japanese rural heritage, cultural fairs, and branding and promotion of regional, ...

, created in 2005 and including 61 villages; * Spain: , created in 2011 and including 111 villages; They are joined by 4 associated members,

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

Saxony Saxony, officially the Free State of Saxony, is a landlocked state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Bavaria, as well as the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Its capital is Dresden, and ...

(

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

and

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

whose local associations are: * Switzerland: The Most Beautiful Villages in Switzerland, created in 2015, including 48 villages and to which the

Principality of Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (, ; ; ), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( ), is a doubly landlocked German-speaking microstate in the Central European Alps, between Austria in the east and north and Switzerland in the west and south. Liechtenst ...

is also annexed; * Germany: , created in 2011 and including 11 villages; * Russia:

The Most Beautiful Villages in Russia ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

, created in 2003 and comprising 11 villages; * Lebanon: The Most Beautiful Villages in Lebanon, created in 2016 and comprising 61 villages;

Gallery

Collonges chateau.jpg, Collonges-la-Rouge, France File:Kamouraska-patrimoine.jpg, Kamouraska, Canada File:0 Soiron - Village (1).JPG, Soiron, Belgium File:Montefioralle - narrow street (2661134628).jpg, Montefioralle, Italy File:Saint-SaphorinHG.jpg,

Saint-Saphorin Saint-Saphorin () is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Switzerland, Swiss Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Vaud, located on the shore of Lake Geneva, in the district of Lavaux-Oron District, Lavaux-Oron. History Glerula or C ...

, Switzerland 伊根の舟屋群 (Funaya houses at Ine), september 2014 (15428372595).jpg, Ine, Japan La Plaza Major et l'église collégiale Sante Maria à l'Aìnsa-Sobrarbe.jpg,

Aínsa-Sobrarbe Aínsa-Sobrarbe (in Aragonese: ''L'Aínsa-Sobrarbe'') is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. As of 2010 ( INE), the municipality has a population of 2,180 inhabitants. Aínsa is the economic development capital of the ...

, Spain File:Храм Входа Господня в Иерсалим в Тотьме.JPG,

Totma Totma () is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, town and the administrative center of Totemsky District in Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the left bank of the Sukhona River at its confluence with the Pesya Denga River, Pesya Denga, no ...

, Russia

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Most beautiful villages in the World Organizations established in 2012 Lists of most beautiful villages