UNESCO
Global Geopark

What is a

A designation awarded by UNESCO to areas with outstanding geological heritage.

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A UNESCO Global Geopark is a designation awarded by UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) to an area that has outstanding geological heritage.

Illustration of mountain ranges with trees in the foreground.
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Geoparks are found in every corner of the world

UNESCO Global Geoparks sit within the UNESCO International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP). Geoparks are found in every corner of the world — in the UK alone they include Arran, off the coast of Scotland, and GeoMôn on the Isle of Anglesey — and new areas join the family every year.

To find out how many there are today, visit UNESCO Global Geoparks. The idea is that by granting Geopark status, these precious places will be looked after and protected for generations to come.

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It’s not just
about rocks

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Having UNESCO Global Geopark status is about using an area’s geology to make a difference to life locally. It aims to bring people together to explore and celebrate the links between us and our incredible landscapes while supporting sustainable economic development. Every UNESCO Global Geopark is committed to supporting the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals — using its landscape to help build a fairer, greener future.

At the moment, there are

241 UNESCO GEOPARKS IN 51 COUNTRIES

They include Arran, off the coast of Scotland and GeoMôn on the Isle of Anglesey. The idea is that by granting Geopark status, these precious places will be looked after and protected for generations to come.

Explore More Geoparks
Abstract black and white pattern resembling layered geological formations or topographic lines.
A couple standing on a boat railing near the water, with cliffs and cloudy sky in the background, possibly enjoying a scenic view.
Line drawing of mountain landscape with peaks, slopes, and rugged terrain, depicted in a minimalist style.
Map of the island of Tortuga.
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How is it done?

Through community-led partnerships. Being a UNESCO Global Geopark starts from the ground up, with individuals and organisations working together to showcase where we live and why it’s so special. This is done through promoting responsible geological tourism, organising community projects, cultural events, educational programmes and through ongoing scientific research and conservation.

The UK’s Geoparks

Highland mountains, ocean cliffs, billion-year-old rocks and cavernous caves — the English Riviera is one of a family of UK Geoparks, each part of the global network of areas of exceptional geological significance:

  • Mountains with snow-capped peaks and rocky terrain under dark, cloudy sky.

    Arran

    Arran — an island whose rocks record half a billion years of Earth history, where James Hutton found evidence for deep time.

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  • A view inside a dark, rocky cave with reddish-brown walls and a small opening.

    Black Country

    Black Country — where the Industrial Revolution was at its most intense, packed with incredible heritage.

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  • Cuilcagh Lakelands

    Cuilcagh Lakelands

    Cuilcagh Lakelands — rugged uplands, lakes and water-worn caverns spanning 895 million years, across counties Fermanagh and Cavan.

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  • A landscape view of an ancient stone castle on a hill overlooking green fields and distant hills under a blue sky.

    Fforest Fawr

    Fforest Fawr — a cracked and crumpled layer-cake of rocks forming the western Brecon Beacons, sculpted by ice.

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  • Rock formation with an arch over the water, with grassy area in the foreground and coastline in the background.

    GeoMôn

    GeoMôn — the tectonic island of Anglesey, the UK’s most geologically diverse Geopark, with more than a hundred rock types.

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  • A panoramic view of a coastal landscape featuring a dense forest in the foreground, a stretch of beach along the shoreline, and a distant town with buildings and roads under a clear blue sky.

    Mourne Gullion Strangford

    Mourne Gullion Strangford — forged by volcanoes and sculpted by ice, a mosaic of heather, moor, bog and shore.

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  • Scenic landscape of rolling green hills and mountains under cloudy sky, with scattered trees and a small stone building in the foreground.

    North Pennines

    North Pennines — 500 million years of tropical seas, deltas, deserts and ice sheets, with a world-class mining heritage.

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  • Large tilted boulder resting on smaller rocks in a grassy, hilly landscape with cloudy sky.

    North West Highlands

    North West Highlands — home to the oldest rocks in the UK: Lewisian gneiss over 3 billion years old.

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  • Cliffs and sea stacks along a rugged coastline with ocean in the background.

    Shetland

    Shetland — walk an ancient ocean floor, explore an extinct volcano and cross shifting sands in a single day.

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Devon alone is home to six UNESCO-recognised heritage assets — including two World Heritage Sites, a Biosphere Reserve, a City of Literature and the English Riviera Global Geopark. Explore all the UNESCO sites in the UK.

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The wider
Geopark family

The Global Geoparks Network (GGN), of which membership is obligatory for UNESCO Global Geoparks, is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2004. Members are committed to working together, exchanging ideas of best practice and joining common projects to raise the quality standards of everything a UNESCO Global Geopark does. The GGN functions through regional networks, such as the European Geoparks Network, which meets twice a year to develop and promote joint activities.

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