Value of geosites of Greece

Greece, thanks of its location on the convergence of two tectonic plates, has a very complex geologic history and geodiversity, so it is scattered by a variety of geological formations and geomorphs which can be classified as geological monuments. Their particular scientific and educational value is often combined with a high cultural and tourist value. In recent years there has been a serious effort in our country to record, evaluate and highlight natural geological and geomorphological monuments - and some sites are already being exploited to raise public awareness of the value of the land and at the same time contribute significantly to development. of local communities.

At international level UNESCO supports the establishment of geoparks to meet the need to protect and highlight areas of geological heritage sites because of their particular scientific, ecological or aesthetic value. In Greece, five areas have been identified as Geoparks.

The first record of representative geological and geomorphologic sites, as monuments of nature in Greece, was undertaken by the Institute of Geological and Mining Research (IGME) in 1982.