India, April 24 -- UNESCO has officially recognised Saudi Arabia's North Riyadh and Salma Geoparks, adding them to its prestigious Global Geoparks Network. This announcement is a part of the specialised agency of the United Nations' recent inclusion of 16 new geoparks, bringing the total to 229 sites across 50 countries. Beyond Saudi Arabia, geographical spaces from China, DPR Korea, Ecuador, Indonesia, Italy, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam have made the list.

"In 10 years, UNESCO Geoparks have become models for the conservation of geological heritage, but their role goes much further: they support educational projects, promote sustainable tourism, and keep the knowledge and traditions of these ter...