Two Vietnamese sites await vote for UNESCO biosphere reserve status

A vote would take place at the ongoing session of the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Program in Nigeria, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Le Thi Hong Van, Vietnam’s permanent representative to UNESCO, said the two if approved would take the number of world biosphere reserves in Vietnam to 11, one of the highest in the world.

Perched at a height of 1,000m above sea level, Nui Chua National Park in the central province has nearly 20,000 hectares of primary forests with 300 animal species and 600 rare plant species.

The 65,000-hectare Kon Ha Nung Plateau is home to two nationally protected sites and serve as its core areas: Kon Ka Kinh National Park and Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve.

The plateau has hundreds of animal and plant species, including rare ones like the douc langurs.

There were 714 UNESCO biosphere reserves in 129 countries and territories as of December 2020.

Vietnam's nine include the Can Gio mangrove forest in HCMC, Cat Tien national park in the neighboring Dong Nai and Langbiang Plateau in Da Lat Town.