According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) the official definition of a geopark is "A territory encompassing one or more sites of scientific importance, not only for geological reasons but also by virtue of its archaeological, ecological or cultural value."

The Geoparks initiative was created under the guidance of UNESCO in 2004, in response to the perceived need for an international initiative that recognizes sites representing an earth science interest. Besides enhancing the value of these sites, one of the main goals of the network is to create employment and to promote regional economic development.

To be selected as a Geopark, sites must contain geological heritage of exceptional scientific and educational importance, rarity or beauty. They must also possess an effective management structure, clearly defined boundaries and a sufficiently large area to permit significant sustainable economic development, primarily through tourism.

Among the new sites there are
• The Hong Kong Geopark (China). Where coastal processes have resulted in diverse erosional and depositional landforms, including fossils that provide an understanding of the ancient paleoenvironment, geography, climate and biological evolution.
• The Tianzhushan Geopark (China), recognized for its It is rich in geoheritage, such as mammalian fossils and an ultrahigh pressure metamorphic belt of eclogite, an unusually dense rock important for driving convection within the solid Earth.
• The Apuan Alps Geopark (Italy). This Geopark (picture) is famous for its beautiful marbles, deep canyons and large karst caves, and the rare morphology of the Apuan Alps which has attracted visitors since the 16th century.

With the new nine sites, the Global Network of National Geoparks, now numbers 87 Geoparks in 27 countries around the world.