National Geoparks

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. A Global Geopark is a unified area with geological heritage of international significance. Geoparks use that heritage to promote awareness of key issues facing society in the context of the dynamic planet we all live on. .Tourism industry promotion in geopark, as a geographically sustainable and applicable tourism model, aims to sustain, or 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. In fact, sustainable tourism promotion within geopark actually encompasses many of the subdivisions of sustainable tourism including: geo-tourism (geo-site tourism: as a basic factor), community-based tourism and integrated rural tourism (as a vital needs), ecotourism, cultural heritage tourism, etc. 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.