Dong Van Karst Plateau

Dong Van Karst Plateau The northeastern province of Ha Giang, a mountainous region in Viet Nam's extreme north, is home to the UNESCO Global Geopark. About 60% of its surface is composed of limestone. With its lofty mountains and profound gorges, the landscape is both remarkable and unparalleled. Mieu Vac Mount (1971 meters high) is the highest peak, and Tu San Canyon (700–800 meters deep) is the deepest.

Located at an expansion foot mount east of the Himalayas lies the UNESCO Global Geopark. The seven distinct stages of geoheritages, which span from the Cambrian (about 550 million years ago) to the present, include tectonics, karst, caves, geomophology, stratigraphy, palaeobiology, and significant faults. The Frasnian-Famennian (360 million years ago) and Permian-Triassic (250 million years ago) mass extinction boundary are two examples of significant Earth history events that are reflected in the geology of this UNESCO Global Geopark. This covers specificities related to stratigraphy, lithostratigraphy, and biostratigraphy, as well as three kinds of rocks: sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. Nineteen groups of valuable ancient animals, including preserved mollusc pathways, ancient fish, ancient flora, bivalves, trilobites, conodonta, crinoidea, and brachiopods (Eurispirifer tonkinesis), are displayed in its paleontological diversity.

Two natural protection areas inside the Geopark are home to a diverse range of wildlife and plants, including conifers, Asian black bears, Southern serows, solitary mountain goats, and several bird species. In addition, the peculiar and enigmatic Tonkin snub-nosed monkey is among the world's 25 most endangered primate species. It is exclusive to the province of Ha Giang and was thought to be extinct until it was discovered again in the early 1990s.

Sustaining local Communities
Plateau Dong Van Karst 17 different ethnic groups call the UNESCO Global Geopark home, which contributes to its distinctive and varied cultural legacy. In order to fulfill Vietnam's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, the socioeconomic conditions of the Geopark must be enhanced. The management board of the Dong Van Karst Plateau UNESCO Global Geopark has so partnered with its partners to approach organizations in an effort to secure funding for Earth science research, sustainable tourism, and the preservation of cultural assets.

Three groups of people are the focus of the educational program in the UNESCO Global Geopark: tourists, locals, and schoolchildren. A variety of teaching techniques are used, such as local speakers, panels, brochures, guidebooks, posters, and visual aids, and they are included into locals' daily lives as well as those of schoolchildren and visitors. The educational initiatives have yielded positive outcomes, and the community has demonstrated strong support for the UNESCO Global Geopark. Together, locals, visitors, and the government carry out advertising and conservation efforts. The annual growth rate of tourists has been constant at 30%. The 17 ethnic groups that make up the region's population are seeing good changes in their lives as a result of the region's growing tourism sector, which has also created favorable conditions to combat poverty. Locals are becoming more and more active in this process of sustainable economic development through tourism.