China stays atop UNESCO geopark rankings with two new additions

(ECNS) -- Kanbula National Geopark in northwest China's Qinghai Province and Yunyang Geopark were designated Global Geoparks by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at the 221st session of its Executive Board in Paris, France, on Thursday, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

With these two newly added geoparks, China is now home to 49 Global Geoparks, remaining first in the world.

Covering 3,149.34 square kilometers in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, Kanbula Geopark is situated on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, in the transitional zone between China's first and second-tier landforms.

The park showcases dynamic geological processes dating back to the Tertiary period, including surface and subsurface activity in the transition zone between China's first- and second-level landforms. It also reflects the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and shifts in climate and environment. The site combines high-precision geological research, rich cultural experiences, and plateau ecological conservation.　　

Yunyang Geopark is situated in the heart of the Three Gorges Reservoir region of the Yangtze River in the south of Yunyang County, Chongqing, covering 1,124 square kilometers.

The park is renowned for the world's largest Jurassic fossil and Jurassic single-body dinosaur fossil walls at a length of 18.2 kilometers and dramatic karst landforms. The fossils found here are of global scientific importance, as they help fill a significant knowledge gap in the evolution of dinosaurs during the Middle Jurassic period, especially its early part.

The UNESCO approved the establishment of " Global Geoparks" in 2015 to further protect the global geological heritage and natural landscapes. So far, there are 229 UNESCO Global Geoparks worldwide.

（By Li Yan）