It is as Scottish as shortbread and a dram, as bagpipes and kilts.

For a century and a quarter, the Forth Bridge, its russet-tinted painting work said to be never quite finished, has symbolised one small nation's engineering might.

No longer: the stunning double-cantilevered crossing is now officially listed as a monument to the ingenuity of all humankind, not just its Scottish variety.

Global cultural organisation Unesco has designated the bridge as a world heritage site, Scotland's sixth, after Edinburgh's Old and New Towns; the Heart of Neolithic Orkney; New Lanark; the Antonine Wall; and the island of St Kilda.

That puts the the 2,500-metre long crossing over the Firth of Forth - once the longest bridge in the world - on the same status as the pyramids of Giza or the Great Wall of China.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the designation recognised the bridge's "unique" place in Scotland's history, one she has long appreciated.

After Ms Sturgeon led her National Party to victory in May's Westminster elections, she chose to gather all her 56 new MPs together against the backdrop of the old bridge.

She said: "The Forth Bridge is a monument to innovative industry and engineering. Its giant double-cantilever towers, with their powerful yet graceful design, are recognised the world over.

"The Forth Bridge is an outstanding example of Scotland's built heritage and its endurance is testament not only to the ingenuity of those who designed and built it but also to the generations of painters, engineers and maintenance crews who have looked after it through the years."

More than 4,500 men were employed in the construction of the bridge, which took eight years to complete and used 53,000 tonnes of steel.

The bid for World Heritage status was led by the Forth Bridges Forum, established by the Scottish Government to promote the three Forth Bridges, including the new crossing under construction.

David Dickson, director of infrastructure at Network Rail, which owns the structure, said: "The Forth Bridge is a prime example of civil engineering and an iconic structure, not only in Scotland but across the world."

The decision to grant the bridge special status followed a meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Bonn on Sunday.

The Committee described the construction as "innovative in style, materials and scale" and an important milestone in bridge design.

The same officials have granted the same status to a whole series of important sites this week, including The Alamo, the former Catholic mission that was site of the battle of the same name between English-speaking Texans and Mexicans in San Antonio, in 1836.

Also given World Heritage Site designation were the 19th century meat processing plant at Fray Bentos, Uruguay, home of Oxo cubes and the eponymous pies; early industrial sites in Japan; and the site of the ancient Buddhist Korean kingdom of Baekje.

The judges also granted world heritage status to wine cellars in Champagne and Burgundy, France. The Scottish Government said this success meant they would go ahead with a bid to win the same status for whisky. Agriculture minister Richard Lochhead said: "Champagne is an iconic product, recognised the world over - Scotch whisky is just as iconic, if not more."