Vietnam late last month sent a document to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) asking for its recognition of the Dong Van Stone Plateau, a natural rock field in northern Ha Giang Province, as a world geographical park.

About 350 kilometers north of Hanoi, the plateau covers an area of 574 square kilometers across the four mountainous districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Meo Vac and Dong Van.

Dong Van, which has remained untouched for hundreds of millions of years, is a stark plateau covered with jagged and mammoth rocks 1,000 meters above sea level.

Fossils of thousands of species from 400 to 600 million years ago have also been discovered in the area, Vietnam News Agency reported.

The natural heritage site, expected to become the first geological park in Vietnam next year, has been surveyed by local scientists and specialists from Russia, Poland, Japan, Belgium, and Germany.

Scientists have found 40 areas containing valuable evidence about the Earth’s evolution, rock formations, caves, valleys and other features.

Dong Van is also home to 17 ethnic groups who use small caves and stone holes for cultivation and the area’s ragged rocks to build homes, fences, mills and benches.

There are currently 55 UNESCO-listed geographical parks in 17 countries worldwide.

Also, a file on the 82 doctoral laureate steles in Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) in Hanoi has been sent to UNESCO for consideration as a world documentation heritage, according to UNESCO Vietnam general secretary Pham Sanh Chau.

The UNESCO is expected to make decisions regarding the applications at a conference in Malaysia in April next year.