UNESCO Global Geoparks


The 195 Member States of UNESCO ratified the creation of a new label, the UNESCO Global Geoparks, on 17 November 2015. This expressed governmental recognition of the importance of managing outstanding geological sites and landscapes in a holistic manner. This new designation formalized UNESCO's relationship with the Global Geoparks Network, which received ad hoc support from UNESCO since 2001. The network was set up to conserve earth’s geological heritage, as well as to promote the sustainable research and development by the concerned communities. The GGN membership is formed by geoparks—local areas focused on the protection of geological features and the celebration of that and the wider heritage.
The first batch of members to the GGN were announced during the first International Conference on Geoparks in 2004. Since 2015, the application and designation process is defined by the Statutes and Operational Guidelines of the UNESCO Global Geoparks. As of July 2020, there were 161 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 44 countries There are now GGN member sites situated in 5 of 7 continents and there being none currently in either Antarctica or Australasia. Notably there are not yet any global geoparks in the United States or South Asia and most of Africa. China is the country with the largest number of global geoparks.

History

The Global Geoparks Network is UNESCO assisted network established in 1998. Managed under the body’s Ecological and Earth Sciences Division, the GGN seeks the promotion and conservation of the planet’s geological heritage, as well as encourages the sustainable research and development by the concerned communities.. Since 2015, its members are officially designated as UNESCO Global Geoparks.

The network

The international network seeks the membership geoparks—geographical areas where geological heritage is the focus of local protection, education and development.
A set of criteria as established by UNESCO must first be met for a geopark, as nominated by the corresponding government, to be included in the GGN:
Criteria satisfaction is evaluated during biennial meetings by the Geoparks Committee, known as the International Conference on Geoparks, which is also in charge with the periodic review of projects related to geological awareness. The first members of the GGN were named during the first conference in 2004, and it has continued to grow since then:
SessionYearSiteDate
1st2004Beijing, China27 June -7 July
2nd2006Belfast, United Kingdom17-21 September
3rd2008Osnabrück, Germany22-26 June
4th2010Langkawi, Malaysia12-16 April
5th2012Unzen Volcanic Area Geopark 12-15 May
6th2014Stonehammer Geopark 19-22 September
7th2016English Riviera Geopark 24-30 September
8th2018Adamello Brenta UNESCO Global Geopark 11-14 September
9th2020Jeju Island UNESCO Global Geopark, Republic of Korea17-20 September

The GGN works closely with another project under UNESCO’s Ecological and Earth Sciences Division—the Man and Biosphere World Network of Biosphere Reserves—to come up with and establish different means of sustainable development in promoting the local communities’ relationship with the natural environment.

List by continent/UNESCO region

The following table contains the detailed articles on the UNESCO Global Geoparks and further international recognition frameworks of the geoheritage of each continents and their representative regional geopark networks.
List of UGGs by continentUNESCO regionRegional geopark networkNumber of UGGs in the networkNumber of countries in the network
AfricaAfricaAfrican Geoparks Network22
AfricaAsiaAfrican Geoparks Network22
AsiaAsiaAsia Pacific Geoparks Network578
Oceania-Asia Pacific Geoparks Network578
OceaniaOceaniaAsia Pacific Geoparks Network578
EuropeEurope and North AmericaEuropean Geoparks Network7526
North AmericaEurope and North America—31
Central AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanLatin America and the Caribbean Geoparks Network76
South AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanLatin America and the Caribbean Geoparks Network76

List by country

Many of the names in the list below appear in slightly different forms in different documents or webpages, particularly where they have been anglicised. Dates of accession to network, where not otherwise referenced are taken from UNESCO website.
Country/TerritoryContinentGeoparkYear included
AustriaEuropeStyrian Eisenwurzen2004
AustriaEuropeOre of the Alps2014
Austria / SloveniaEuropeKarawanken / Karavanke2015
BelgiumEuropeFamenne-Ardenne2018
BrazilSouth AmericaAraripe2006
CanadaNorth AmericaCliffs of Fundy2020
CanadaNorth AmericaDiscovery2020
CanadaNorth AmericaPercé2018
CanadaNorth AmericaStonehammer2010
CanadaNorth AmericaTumbler Ridge2014
ChileSouth AmericaKütralkura2019
ChinaAsiaAlxa Desert2009
ChinaAsiaArxan2017
ChinaAsiaWangwushan-Daimeishan2006
ChinaAsiaDanxiashan2004
ChinaAsiaFangshan2006
ChinaAsiaFuniushan2006
ChinaAsiaHexigten2005
ChinaAsiaGuangwushan-Nuoshuihe2018
ChinaAsiaHuanggang Dabieshan2018
ChinaAsiaHong Kong2011
ChinaAsiaJiuhuashan2019
ChinaAsiaHuangshan2004
ChinaAsiaJingpohu2006
ChinaAsiaKeketuohai2017
ChinaAsiaLeye-Fengshan2010
ChinaAsiaLonghushan2007
ChinaAsiaLushan2004
ChinaAsiaNingde2010
ChinaAsiaQinling2009
ChinaAsiaLeiqiong2006
ChinaAsiaSanqingshan, Jiangxi2012
ChinaAsiaShilin2004
ChinaAsiaSongshan2004
ChinaAsiaTaining2005
ChinaAsiaTaishan2006
ChinaAsiaTianzhushan2011
ChinaAsiaWudalianchi2004
ChinaAsiaXiangxi2020
ChinaAsiaXingwen2005
ChinaAsiaYandangshan2005
ChinaAsiaYimengshan2019
ChinaAsiaYuntaishan2004
ChinaAsiaZhangjiajie2004
ChinaAsiaZhangye2020
ChinaAsiaZigong2008
CroatiaEuropePapuk2007
CroatiaEuropeVis Archipelago2019
CyprusEuropeTroodos2015
Czech RepublicEuropeBohemian Paradise2005
DenmarkEuropeOdsherred2014
EcuadorSouth AmericaImbabura2019
FinlandEuropeLauhanvuori-Hämeenkangas2020
FinlandEuropeRokua2010
FranceEuropeMassif des Bauges2011
FranceEuropeBeaujolais2018
FranceEuropeCausses du Quercy2017
FranceEuropeChablais 2012
FranceEuropeHaute Provence2004
FranceEuropeLuberon2005
FranceEuropeMonts d'Ardèche2014
GermanyEuropeBergstrasse-Odenwald2004
GermanyEuropeTERRA.vita2004
GermanyEuropeHarz, Braunschweiger Land2005
GermanyEuropeSwabian Alb2005
GermanyEuropeVulkaneifel2004
Germany/PolandEuropeMuskauer Faltenbogen / Łuk Mużakowa2015
GreeceEuropeLesvos2004
GreeceEuropeChelmos-Vouraikos2009
GreeceEuropePsiloritis2004
GreeceEuropeSitia2015
GreeceEuropeVikos-Aoos2010
HungaryEuropeBakony-Balaton2012
Hungary/SlovakiaEuropeNovohrad - Nograd2010
IcelandEuropeKatla2011
IcelandEuropeReykjanes2015
IndonesiaAsiaBatur, Bali2012
IndonesiaAsiaRinjani Lombok2018
IndonesiaAsiaGunung Sewu, Java2015
IndonesiaAsiaCiletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark2018
IndonesiaAsiaToba Caldera2020
IranAsiaQeshm Island2017
IrelandEuropeBurren and Cliffs of Moher2011
IrelandEuropeCopper Coast2004
Ireland/United KingdomEuropeMarble Arch Caves2004
ItalyEuropeAlpi Apuani2011
ItalyEuropeCilento and Vallo di Diano2010
ItalyEuropeMadonie2004
ItalyEuropeBeigua2005
ItalyEuropeParco Geominerario della Sardegna2007
ItalyEuropePollino2007
ItalyEuropeAdamello-Brenta2008
ItalyEuropeRocca di Cerere2008
ItalyEuropeSesia - Val Grande Geopark2013
ItalyEuropeTuscan Mining Park2010
JapanAsiaItoigawa2009
JapanAsiaToya and Usu2009
JapanAsiaUnzen Volcanic Area2009
JapanAsiaSan'in Kaigan2010
JapanAsiaMuroto2011
JapanAsiaOki Islands2013
JapanAsiaAso2014
JapanAsiaMt. Apoi2015
JapanAsiaIzu Peninsula2018
MalaysiaAsiaLangkawi2007
MexicoNorth AmericaComarca Minera, Hidalgo2017
MexicoNorth AmericaMixteca Alta, Oaxaca2017
MoroccoAfricaM'Goun2014
NetherlandsEuropeHondsrug2013
NicaraguaNorth AmericaRio Coco2020
NorwayEuropeGea Norvegica2006
NorwayEuropeMagma2010
NorwayEuropeTrollfjell2019
PeruSouth AmericaColca y Volcanoes de Andagua2019
Poland/GermanyEuropeMuskauer Faltenbogen / Łuk Mużakowa2015
PortugalEuropeNaturtejo da Meseta Meridional2006
PortugalEurope/AfricaAzores2013
PortugalEuropeArouca2009
PortugalEuropeEstrela2020
PortugalEuropeTerras de Cavaleiros2015
RomaniaEuropeHateg2005
Russian FederationAsiaYangan Tau2020
SerbiaEuropeDjerdap2020
Slovakia/HungaryEuropeNovohrad-Nógrád2010
SloveniaEuropeIdrija2013
Slovenia/AustriaEuropeKarawanken / Karavanke2015
South KoreaAsiaCheongsong2017
South KoreaAsiaHantangang2020
South KoreaAsiaJeju Island2010
South KoreaAsiaMudeungsan Area2018
SpainEuropeBasque Coast Geopark2010
SpainEuropeCabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park2006
SpainEuropeCentral Catalonia2012
SpainEuropeConca de Tremp-Montsec2018
SpainEuropeCourel Mountains2019
SpainEuropeGranada2020
SpainEuropeEl Hierro2015
SpainEuropeLas Loras2017
SpainEuropeMaestrazgo2020
SpainEuropeSierra Norte de Sevilla, Andalusia2004
SpainEuropeSobrarbe-Pirineos2006
SpainEuropeSierras Subbeticas2006
SpainEuropeVilluercas Ibores Jara2011
SpainEuropeLanzarote and Chinijos Islands2015
SpainEuropeMolina & Alto Tajo2014
TanzaniaAfricaNgorongoro Lengai2018
ThailandAsiaSatun2018
TurkeyAsiaKula-Salihli*2013
United Kingdom/IrelandEuropeMarble Arch Caves2004
United KingdomEuropeNorth Pennines2004
United KingdomEuropeFforest Fawr2005
United KingdomEuropeNorth West Highlands2005
United KingdomEuropeEnglish Riviera2007
United KingdomEuropeShetland2009
United KingdomEuropeGeoMôn2009
United KingdomEuropeBlack Country2020
UruguaySouth AmericaGrutas del Palacio2013
VietnamAsiaNon nuocCao Bang2018
VietnamAsiaDong Van Karst Plateau2010
VietnamAsiaDak Nong2020

Note * Kula Volcanic Geopark designated in 2013 was extended and renamed as Kula Salihli in 2020

Former members of the GGN

Whilst the length of the list has grown year on year, some members drop out from time to time, either by choice or by failing the network's revalidation procedures.
UNESCO Global Geoparks are given this designation for a period of four years after which the functioning and quality of each UNESCO Global Geopark is thoroughly re-examined during a revalidation process.
Country/TerritoryContinentGeoparkYear includedCeased
United KingdomEuropeLochaber20072011
GermanyEuropeMecklenburg Ice Age Landscape2005?
AustraliaAustralasiaKanawinka
AustriaEuropeCarnic Alps Geopark2012-