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Phja Po Bragon Back in Mau Son Mount. Lang Son UNESCO Global Geopark, Viet Nam. Image © Nguyen Minh Duc. Supplied.
UNESCO names 16 new Global Geoparks
By Geoffrey Williams and Wires
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has designated 16 new geoparks, bringing the total number of sites in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network to 229 in 50 countries. The network now covers an area of almost 855,000 square kms. UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development. Their bottom-up approach of combining conservation with sustainable development while involving local communities is becoming increasingly popular. At present, there are 229 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 50 countries.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network brings together territories recognised for their rich geological heritage – rock formations, mountain or volcanic ranges, caves, canyons, fossil sites or ancient desert landscapes – which bear witness to our planet’s history, evolution and climate. These sites are also places for conservation and environmental education, where local and Indigenous communities can promote their culture and know-how.
In ten years, UNESCO Geoparks have become models for the conservation of geological heritage. But their role goes much further: they support educational projects, promote sustainable tourism and keep the knowledge and traditions of these territories alive through the active participation of local and Indigenous communities.
The 16 newly designated UNESCO Geoparks are:
Viet Nam: Lang Son
Set within the rugged limestone peaks of northern Viet Nam, Lang Son preserves evidence of life’s evolution through the ages. Its oldest rocks reveal traces of an ancient seabed, once home to trilobites (marine creatures that resembled large woodlice), and graptolites (early sea animals that lived in colonies). One of the geopark’s remarkable geological sites is the Na Duong basin – a natural depression that offers a rare glimpse into Southeast Asia’s environment around 40 to 20 million years ago. Fossils found here reveal a lush tropical ecosystem, rich in plants and animals, and provide key insights into how mammals moved between continents. The Bac Son Limestone Massif – a striking mountain range formed from ancient seabed deposits – reveals traces of some of Viet Nam’s earliest human inhabitants, with stone tools, ceramic artifacts and burial sites offering glimpses into prehistoric life. The geopark is home to diverse ethnic groups who uphold unique languages, crafts and traditions. Central to the region’s spiritual life is Đạo Mẫu, the worship of Mother Goddesses, which blends music, dance and storytelling to honour deities believed to govern the realms of heaven, earth, mountains, forests and water. These cultural practices, passed down through generations, remain central to the identity of local communities.
Democratic People's Republic of Korea: Mt Paektu
Mt Paektu, with spectacular landscapes shaped by volcanic eruptions and glacial erosion, is the first UNESCO Global Geopark to be nominated in the country. Mt Paektu was the location of one of the largest eruptions in recorded history – the Millennium Eruption in around 1000 CE – which spread volcanic ash as far as Japan and created extraordinary geological features, including Lake Chon, a striking caldera lake that sits 2,190 metres above sea level. Hot springs, carbonised trees and rising magma channels in the Janggun Peak laccolith offer a rare glimpse into different stages of volcanic eruptions. Today, geophysical research continues to monitor Mt Paektu’s volcanic zone, where magma chambers and gaseous emissions hint at ongoing activity.
Ecuador: Napo Sumaco
Napo Sumaco is in the heart of Ecuador’s Amazon Basin, where the Andean mountains meet the Amazon plains. Showcasing over 170 million years of geological activity, from the Jurassic period to the present day, highlights include Sumaco Volcano, a striking and potentially active volcano with a rare composition and karst formations, where researchers study climate change through speleothem (cave formation) analysis. The area is known for its rich biodiversity, home to over 6,000 plant species and a variety of rare animals, many of which are found nowhere else on the planet.
Indonesia: Kebumen
Kebumen showcases the oldest rock formations on the island of Java, a key feature of which is the Karangsambung site, a natural laboratory of oceanic and continental margin rocks dating back tens of millions of years. These rocks illustrate plate tectonic theory, showing how an ancient ocean floor was pushed up to the surface. The area reveals fossils from ancient marine and prehistoric ecosystems, as well as fascinating caves and underground rivers.
Indonesia: Meratus
Meratus offers a fascinating geological record of complex tectonic evolution beginning in the Jurassic period, 201 to 145 million years ago. This dynamic geological history has shaped the landscape and fostered rich biodiversity, including diverse varieties of orchids such as moon orchids and sugarcane orchids. The once endangered Bekantan long-nosed monkey is now the mascot of South Kalimantan Province. The geopark has played a central role in restoring mangrove ecosystems, crucial to the survival of the Bekantan species, which has led to the gradual recovery of their population. The geopark is home to two main Indigenous groups, the Banjar and Dayak tribes, who continue to uphold their unique traditions. Trading at the Floating Market of Lok Baintan takes place on small boats called Jukung, and the Dayak Meratus tribe uses bamboo for transportation through a method called “Balanting Paring.”
The once endangered Bekantan long-nosed monkey. Meratus UNESCO Global Geopark, Indonesia. Image © Meratus Geopark Management Board/Indonesia Proboscis Monkey Friends Foundation. Supplied.
Italy: MurGEopark
Located in Italy's Murge Highlands, MurGEopark offers a remarkable glimpse into Earth's geological past. The region preserves a rare, stable portion of the Adriatic Plate, an ancient continental plate that sits between Africa and Europe, shaped over millions of years by tectonic forces. The landscape is marked by sinkholes, caves and "lamas" (wide furrows formed by water erosion). Two exceptional paleontological discoveries include a preserved Neanderthal skeleton encased in speleothems (mineral deposits formed in caves over millennia), and one of the world’s largest dinosaur track sites with approximately 25,000 footprints.
Norway: The Fjord Coast
At the westernmost point of Norway, where the majestic Sognefjord meets the rough Northern Sea, The Fjord Coast offers an extraordinary landscape of islands, fjords, cascading waterfalls and the lowest-lying glacier in Scandinavia. The geopark is home to the ancient Caledonian mountain range, formed between 425 and 395 million years ago, and showcases exceptional geological exposures, including remnants of oceanic crust and volcanic complexes. Few places in the world offer a better opportunity to study the rise and fall of a gigantic mountain range within such a limited area. In more recent geological history, over millions of years, Ice Ages have gradually shaped the landscape, with the most recent one ending approximately 10,000 years ago.
Republic of Korea: Danyang
Located at the heart of the Korean Peninsula, Danyang lies along the Baekdu Daegan mountain range and showcases remarkable geological diversity. The landscape features folds and thrusts within 1.9-billion-year-old granite gneiss, alongside layers of limestone, quartzite and sandstone, reflecting pivotal moments in the region's tectonic evolution. Danyang is renowned for its prehistoric cultural relics, making it a key site for Stone Age research. The geopark has over 200 limestone caves, many of which were previously inhabited. The geopark stands out for its dedication to education, with an annual programme that encourages students to participate in conservation activities, including environmental clean-ups around key geological sites.
Republic of Korea: Gyeongbuk Donghaean
Gyeongbuk Donghaean, located along the southeastern coast of Gyeongsangbuk-do, contains a wealth of geological wonders, including the spectacular Deokgu Valley with its ancient granitic rocks and hot springs. The spectacular Seongryugul Limestone Cave stretches 870 metres and is adorned with stalagmites, preserving valuable evidence of past sea levels and ancient marine environments. In one recent initiative, elementary school students became “GeoRangers” for the day, exploring the east coast of the geopark while completing hands-on missions that taught them about the importance of natural heritage conservation and environmental protection.
China: Kanbula
Kanbula, located on the northeast margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is home to remarkable geological features shaped by complex processes. Highlights include the Maixiu volcanoes – a group of exceptionally well-preserved ancient volcanoes – and the Yellow River, the sixth longest river in the world. The geopark plays a vital role in protecting local communities from river-related risks, coordinating warning systems and forecasts, and raising awareness on how to respond to flooding and landslides.
China: Yunyang
Located in southwest China, Yunyang showcases landscapes shaped nearly 250 million years ago that record the disappearance of an inland sea and the unique terrestrial environment that emerged in its place. The region is best known for its dinosaur-rich fossil deposits and is home to the remarkable ‘Great Wall of Dinosaur Fossils’, an 18 km stretch of rock layers packed with fossils dating back nearly 170 million years.
The Yunyang Middle Jurassic Dinosaur Fossil Wall. Yunyang UNESCO Global Geopark, China. Image © Yunyang UNESCO Global Geopark. Supplied.
Saudi Arabia: North Riyadh
At the foothills of Tuwaiq mountain, in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, North Riyadh is a captivating site of geological, ecological and cultural landmarks. Jurassic-Cretaceous rock formations provide an important educational and cultural site, as the geological foundations for Saudi Arabia’s important petroleum heritage. Another highlight is the Obaitharan Valley – or Wadi Obaitharan – a lush, protected reserve that plays a vital role in sustaining the region’s water supply and offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. The valley is also home to ancient coral reef systems, making it an important educational site for visitors. The transformation of Ghamra Village into a popular tourist destination has been a successful community-driven initiative. The extensive range of activities on offer include hiking, stargazing and traditional experiences like bonfires and folklore performances.
Saudi Arabia: Salma
Salma, located at the heart of Saudi Arabia, offers a rare and fascinating glimpse into the Earth’s ancient history. With volcanic and magmatic rocks dating back over 740 million years, the geopark serves as an accessible archive of deep Earth processes. One of the park’s most striking features is the Al-Hutaymah Crater, where visitors can witness dramatic volcanic formations shaped by volcanic eruptions and erosion over millennia. The geopark also harbours diverse desert flora and fauna, including the endangered Nubian ibex and Arabian oryx, uniquely adapted to the arid environment. The territory also represents a vibrant cultural heritage that includes the Darb Zubaydah, an ancient pilgrimage route once connecting Kufa, a historic city in central Iraq, to Makkah, a city of great religious significance in Saudi Arabia. The ancient fortress and its 45 wells stand as enduring symbols of the region’s history.
Spain: Costa Quebrada
Located along the rugged Cantabrian coast in northern Spain, Costa Quebrada offers an extraordinary opportunity to explore the forces of nature that shape Earth’s landscape. Over the last 120 million years, tectonic movements have pushed mountains up from the seabed, forming highlands that have been sculpted by wind and water into the coastline we see today. The region's geological history is shaped by ancient layers of sedimentary rocks that were deposited in ancient seas and river deltas. Today, visitors can walk along exposed sea cliffs and sandy beaches that tell the story of a coastline in constant change.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Arran
Located off the southwest coast of Scotland, Arran encompasses terrestrial and marine zones that record 600 million years of Earth’s history. This island’s remarkable landscape tells a story of tectonic plate collisions, the shifting of continents from the southern hemisphere, the opening of the Atlantic Ocean and the sculpting of alpine mountains by glaciers. It’s a place where the ancient forces of nature are still visible in the dramatic cliffs, smooth beaches and rugged landscapes. The island’s ecosystems support species like the Arran whitebeam, one of the world's rarest and most endangered tree species, which has existed on the island since the last glaciers retreated. Over 156 bird species and more than 1,000 plant species thrive here, making Arran a haven for nature enthusiasts.
Geoffrey Williams is the Founder and Publishing Curator of The Solo Traveller. Wires include international news agencies and public relations representatives, published here with The Solo Traveller editorial oversight.