Phong Nha - Ke Bang was honored as a "World Heritage" for the second time

After being recognized by UNESCO as a "World Heritage" in 2003 with outstanding values in terms of landscape, geology and geomorphology, Phong Nha - Ke Bang ( Quang Binh province) has just continued to be ranked by this organization as a "World Heritage" in terms of biodiversity criteria.

The above information was confirmed by Mr. Le Thanh Tinh, Director of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, to a reporter from Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper on the morning of July 4. According to Mr. Tinh, this recognition was made after the consensus of the members attending the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) held in Born, Germany on July 3.

Fossils over 400 million years old inside Son Doong Cave

"Previously, Phong Nha - Ke Bang was known as the area with the oldest and largest karst formation in Asia, bearing many evidences of the historical stages of geological formation of the Earth's crust along with a rich and diverse system of caves and underground rivers. Of which, Son Doong is the cave with the most magnificent and largest natural landscape in the world, now Phong Nha - Ke Bang is known as an area containing outstanding values in terms of ecosystem and biodiversity" - scientists present at the above meeting commented. Phong Nha - Ke Bang has a total area of 85,754 hectares, now approved by UNESCO to expand to 123,326 hectares and is considered one of the primeval forests with the most diverse flora and fauna in Southeast Asia.

The Hatinh langur is an extremely rare primate species, found only in a few places in the world, including Phong Nha – Ke Bang - photo provided by Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park

Currently, there are over 2,934 species of vascular plants and more than 800 species of vertebrates. Many of these species are listed in the IUCN Red Book and exist only in a few places in the world. In particular, there are rare and endangered endemic primate subspecies such as: Hatinh Langur, Brown-shanked Douc, White-cheeked Crested Gibbon... It is known that with the above exceptional values, Phong Nha - Ke Bang is the 3rd National Park in Asia and the first in Southeast Asia to achieve 3/4 of the criteria for a Natural Heritage. In July 2003, at the 27th session of the World Heritage Committee, Phong Nha - Ke Bang was recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage in terms of geology and geomorphology with a fascinating cave system nestled between the primeval forest and majestic limestone mountains. Source: https://nld.com.vn/thoi-su-trong-nuoc/phong-nha-ke-bang-lan-2-duoc-vinh-danh-di-san-the-gioi-20150704075213848.htm