Geopark

A geopark is a unified area that advances the protection and use of geological heritage in a sustainable way, and promotes the economic well-being of the people who live there. There are global geoparks and national geoparks.

Concepts
A UNESCO definition of global geopark is a unified area with a geological heritage of international significance. Geoparks use that heritage to promote awareness of key issues facing society in the context of our dynamic planet. Many geoparks promote awareness of geological hazards, including volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis and many help prepare disaster mitigation strategies with local communities. Geoparks embody records of past climate changes and are indicators of current climate changes as well as demonstrating a "best practise" approach to using renewable energy and employing the best standards of "green tourism". Tourism industry promotion in geoparks, as a geographically sustainable and applicable tourism model, aims to sustain, and even enhance, the geographical character of a place.

Geoparks also inform about the sustainable use and need for natural resources, whether they are mined, quarried or harnessed from the surrounding environment while at the same time promoting respect for the environment and the integrity of the landscape. Geoparks are not a legislative designation though the key heritage sites within a geopark are often protected under local, regional or national legislation. The multidisciplinary nature of the concept of geopark and tourism promotion in geoparks differentiates itself from other models of sustainable tourism. In fact, sustainable tourism promotion within geoparks encompasses many of the features of sustainable tourism including geo-tourism (geo-site tourism: as a basic factor), community-based tourism and integrated rural tourism (as a vital need), ecotourism, and cultural heritage tourism.

Qualification
The Global Geoparks Network (GGN) is a UNESCO activity established in 1998. According to UNESCO, for a geopark to apply to be included in the GGN, it needs to:

have a management plan designed to foster socio-economic development that is sustainable based on geotourism
demonstrate methods for conserving and enhancing geological heritage and provide means for teaching geoscientific disciplines and broader environmental issues
have joint proposals submitted by public authorities, local communities and private interests acting together, which demonstrate the best practices with respect to Earth heritage conservation and its integration into sustainable development strategies.
International Geopark Networks

European Geopark Network
Founded in 2000, the network in July 2011 included 43 geo-parks from 17 countries. As of July 2015, 65 geoparks from 22 countries are already members of the network. Six German Geoparks are currently members of the network. It supports its members in public relations and sustainable management. It promotes mutual cooperation among its members, holds joint education and training conferences and promotes soft geotourism in the connected regions. Membership is linked to membership of the Global Network of UNESCO Geoparks.

Global Network of National Geoparks
The UNESCO supported initiatives since 2002, a global network of national Geoparks (Global Network of National Geoparks) to create.

Established in 2004, the Global Network of National Geoparks aims to promote sustainable tourism. The network aims to support regions throughout the world that integrate their outstanding geological heritage into a dedicated socio-economic regional development concept. This strategy should equally promote the protection and use of geotopes.

UNESCO Global Geoparks
In 2015 UNESCO designated the UNESCO Global Geopark as the third category for the designation of sites (after the World Heritage Sites and Biosphere Reserves). The network of Global Geoparks was integrated into UNESCO's "International Geoscience and Geoparks Program" (IGGP). These parks are members of the Global Geoparks Network, founded in 2014

Geological heritage of the geoparks
When speaking of a particular geological heritage, one refers to a certain number of places of geological interest that stand out in terms of:

Scientific interest (record of events and geological processes that allows to understand the past and helps predict)
Singularity (places and unique or rare geological elements)
Representativeness (places and representative elements of materials, structures and / or geological processes)
Aesthetic value (beauty, spectacularity, ability to thrill)
Didactic value (facility to explain and understand materials, structures and / or geological processes)
Every geopark must contain elements of geological heritage, and use it in a sustainable way together with elements of archaeological, ecological, historical or cultural interest for tourism, education and local socio-economic development.

The geoparks collaborate closely with each other, so that they form a European network (European Geoparks Network) that allows each territory to benefit from joint measures of geological heritage protection and management.

Global Network and UNESCO
The Global Geoparks Network (GGN) is supported by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Many national geoparks and other local geoparks projects also exist which are not included in the Global Geoparks Network.

The geoparks initiative was launched by UNESCO in response to the perceived need for an international initiative that recognizes sites representing an earth science interest. Global Geoparks Network aims at enhancing the value of such sites while at the same time creating employment and promoting regional economic development. The Global Geoparks Network works in synergy with UNESCO's World Heritage Centre and Man and the Biosphere (MAB) World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

List by country/territory
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/Territory	Continent	Geopark	Year included
Austria	Europe	Carnic Alps Geopark	2012
Austria	Europe	Eisenwurzen	2004
Austria	Europe	Ore of the Alps Geopark	2014
Belgium	Europe	Famenne-Ardenne	2018
Brazil	South America	Araripe	2006
Canada	North America	Percé	2018
Canada	North America	Stonehammer	2010
Canada	North America	Tumbler Ridge	2014
China	Asia	Alxa Desert	2009
China	Asia	Arxan	2017
China	Asia	Wangwushan-Daimeishan	2006
China	Asia	Danxiashan	2004
China	Asia	Fangshan	2006
China	Asia	Funiushan	2006
China	Asia	Hexigten	2005
China	Asia	Guangwushan-Nuoshuihe	2018
China	Asia	Huanggang Dabieshan	2018
China	Asia	Hong Kong	2011
China	Asia	Huangshan	2004
China	Asia	Jingpohu	2006
China	Asia	Keketuohai	2017
China	Asia	Leye-Fengshan	2010
China	Asia	Longhushan	2007
China	Asia	Lushan	2004
China	Asia	Ningde	2010
China	Asia	Qinling	2009
China	Asia	Leiqiong	2006
China	Asia	Sanqingshan Geopark, Jiangxi	2012
China	Asia	Shilin	2004
China	Asia	Songshan	2004
China	Asia	Taining	2005
China	Asia	Taishan	2006
China	Asia	Tianzhushan Geopark	2011
China	Asia	Wudalianchi	2004
China	Asia	Xingwen	2005
China	Asia	Yandangshan	2005
China	Asia	Yuntaishan	2004
China	Asia	Zhangjiajie	2004
China	Asia	Zigong	2008
Croatia	Europe	Papuk	2007
Cyprus	Europe	Troodos	2015
Czech Republic	Europe	Bohemian Paradise	2005
Denmark	Europe	Odsherred Global Geopark	2014
Finland	Europe	Rokua Geopark	2010
France	Europe	Massif des Bauges	2011
France	Europe	Beaujolais	2018
France	Europe	Causses du Quercy	2017
France	Europe	Chablais Geopark	2012
France	Europe	Haute Provence	2004
France	Europe	Luberon	2005
France	Europe	Monts d'Ardeche Global Geopark	2014
Germany	Europe	Bergstrasse-Odenwald	2004
Germany	Europe	Terra Vita	2004
Germany	Europe	Harz Braunschweiger Land Ostfalen	2005
Germany	Europe	Swabian Albs	2005
Germany	Europe	Vulkaneifel Geopark	2004
Greece	Europe	Lesvos	2004
Greece	Europe	Chelmos-Vouraikos	2009
Greece	Europe	Psiloritis	2004
Greece	Europe	Sitia Geopark	2015
Greece	Europe	Vikos-Aoos	2010
Hungary	Europe	Bakony-Balaton Geopark	2012
Hungary-Slovakia	Europe	Novohrad - Nograd Geopark	2010
Iceland	Europe	Katla Geopark	2011
Iceland	Europe	Reykjanes Global Geopark	2015
Indonesia	Asia	Batur Geopark, Bali	2012
Indonesia	Asia	Rinjani Lombok	2018
Indonesia	Asia	Gunung Sewu Geopark, Java	2015
Indonesia	Asia	Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark	2018
Iran	Europe	Qeshm Island	2017
Ireland	Europe	Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark	2011
Ireland	Europe	Copper Coast	2004
Italy	Europe	Apuan Alps	2011
Italy	Europe	Cilento and Vallo di Diano	2010
Italy	Europe	Madonie	2004
Italy	Europe	Beigua Geopark	2005
Italy	Europe	Geological-Mining Park of Sardinia	2007
Italy	Europe	Geopark of Pollino	2007
Italy	Europe	Adamello-Brenta	2008
Italy	Europe	Rocca di Cerere	2008
Italy	Europe	Sesia - Val Grande Geopark	2013
Italy	Europe	Tuscan Mining Park	2010
Japan	Asia	Itoigawa	2009
Japan	Asia	Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano	2009
Japan	Asia	Unzen Volcanic Area	2009
Japan	Asia	San'in Kaigan	2010
Japan	Asia	Muroto	2011
Japan	Asia	Oki Islands	2013
Japan	Asia	Aso	2014
Japan	Asia	Mt. Apoi	2015
Japan	Asia	Izu Peninsula	2018
Malaysia	Asia	Langkawi	2007
Mexico	North America	Comarca Minera, Hidalgo	2017
Mexico	North America	Mixteca Alta, Oaxaca	2017
Morocco	Africa	M'Goun Global Geopark	2014
Netherlands	Europe	Geopark de Hondsrug	2013
Norway	Europe	Gea Norvegica	2006
Norway	Europe	Magma Geopark	2010
Poland/Germany	Europe	Muskau Bend Landscape Park	2011
Portugal	Europe	Naturtejo	2006
Portugal	Europe/Africa	Azores Geopark	2013
Portugal	Europe	Arouca	2009
Portugal	Europe	Land of Knights Geopark	2015
Romania	Europe	Hateg Country Dinosaur Geopark	2005
Slovenia	Europe	Idrija	2013
Austria/Slovenia	Europe	Geopark Karavanke	2013
South Korea	Asia	Cheongsong	2017
South Korea	Asia	Jeju Island	2010
South Korea	Asia	Mudeungsan Area	2018
Spain	Europe	Basque Coast Geopark	2010
Spain	Europe	Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park	2006
Spain	Europe	Central Catalonia Geopark	2012
Spain	Europe	Conca de Tremp-Montsec	2018
Spain	Africa	El Hierro Global Geopark	2015
Spain	Europe	Las Loras Geopark	2017
Spain	Europe	Sierra Norte di Sevilla, Andalusia	2004
Spain	Europe	Sobrarbe	2006
Spain	Europe	Sierras Subeticas Natural Park	2006
Spain	Europe	Villuercas Ibores Jara Geopark	2011
Spain	Europe	Lanzarote and Chinijos Islands Geopark	2015
Spain	Europe	Molina de Aragón - Alto Tajo Geopark	2014
Tanzania	Africa	Ngorongoro Lengai Geopark	2018
Thailand	Asia	Satun Geopark	2018
Turkey	Asia	Kula Volcanic Geopark	2013
United Kingdom/Ireland	Europe	Marble Arch and Cuilcagh Mountain	2004
United Kingdom	Europe	North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty	2004
United Kingdom	Europe	Fforest Fawr	2005
United Kingdom	Europe	North West Highlands	2005
United Kingdom	Europe	English Riviera	2007
United Kingdom	Europe	Shetland	2009
United Kingdom	Europe	GeoMôn	2009
Uruguay	South America	Grutas del Palacio Geopark	2013
Vietnam	Asia	Cao Bang Geopark	2018
Vietnam	Asia	Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark	2010

Source from Wikipedia