Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark

2:58:34 PM | 20/6/2018

The UNESCO Executive Board passed a resolution recognising Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark as a UNESCO Global Geopark in April 2018, making it the second certified global geopark in Vietnam after Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark in Ha Giang province. Prior to this accreditation, there were a total of 127 UNESCO Global Geoparks in 35 countries.

In 2015, the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO introduced the sustainable development model of UNESCO Geopark to Cao Bang province. Provincial leaders, departments, branches and local communities cooperated with the Secretariat of the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and the Global Geopark Technical Subcommittee (Vietnam Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) to resolutely carry out necessary steps to build Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark, invited international and national experts to compile a profile and link to the UNESCO Global Geopark Network (GGN) to quickly complete the documentation to submit to the UNESCO (in November 2016). The Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO worked closely with authorities of Cao Bang province and local people to take successful steps to defend the documentation before high profile international agencies, including the Global Geopark Appraisal Workgroup (in July 2017) and the UNESCO Global Geopark Council (in September 2017).

Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark has a total area of 3,275 square kilometres, covering six districts of Ha Quang, Tra Linh, Quang Uyen, Trung Khanh, Ha Lang and Phuc Hoa and partial districts of Hoa An, Nguyen Binh and Thach An. The geopark is home to more than 250,000 people of 9 ethnic groups such as the Tay, Nung, H'Mong, Kinh, Dao and San Chay. To date, scientists have discovered, appraised and recommended rankings for over 130 places of unique geological heritage, with various formations of terrains and limestone landscapes such as towers, cones, valleys, caverns and subterranean and surface rivers and lakes. This demonstrates a complete karst evolution cycle in the tropical region. In addition, there are many other types of geomorphological heritages such as paleontological fossils, boundaries of geomorphological units, faults and mineral kinds, all evidenced for a complex geologic formation and evolution over 500 million years.

Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark has a lot of famous landscapes such as Phia Oac, Phia Den, Thang Hen Lake, Nguom Ngao Cave and particularly Ban Gioc Waterfall, one of the four big border waterfalls among the most beautiful in the world.

This geopark has over 215 cultural and historical relics, with three certified special national monuments. This is considered among the first habitats for prehistoric people and the state capital of some feudal dynasties. This is a cradle of the Vietnamese revolution during the resistance war against French colonialists.

Non Nuoc Cao Bang Geopark is a rare place where you can study the history of 500 million years of history of the earth through fossils, ocean sediment, volcanic rocks, minerals, and especially karst landscapes.

Thanh Nga