Xiangxi UNESCO Global Geopark – China
The Red Stone Forest and dramatic waterfalls come together in this 2020 geopark. The best bit? The area is also filled with plenty of geological and cultural significance from the last few million years.
Granada UNESCO Global Geopark – Spain
The region’s culture is cemented in this new geopark for 2020, as the entire thing is surrounded by the Sierra Nevada mountains. The space comes to life thanks to the orange glow of the view and is complete with a museum documenting the area’s past from the last 2 million years.
Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark – Vietnam
This is Vietnam’s third UNESCO geopark and the newest on the list. The land is thought to have been around for 200 million years and has been home to thousands of years of volcanic history. Dak Nong is even filled with rare fauna and wildlife that thieves here.
Lauhanvuori-Hämeenkangas UNESCO Global Geopark – Finland
This is Finland’s second geopark and has been through plenty of physical changes throughout history. Now, it is filled with varied landscapes, including bubbling springs, forests, and glacial formations. It is also one of the northernmost regions where archeologists have found the remains of Neanderthals.
Rio Coco UNESCO Global Geopark – Nicaragua
Wetlands, valleys, cloud forests, and hills all come together at this new geopark. Amazingly, three of the oldest trees in the park were once considered to be sacred by the Mayans. The oldest of the three is a staggering 500 years old.
The newest UNESCO geoparks for 2020 help preserve areas of the world that prove just how beautiful Mother Nature can be.