Kazakhstan’s Aral Geopark is undergoing an international assessment that could make it the country’s first UNESCO Global Geopark, giving new visibility to a region long associated with the environmental collapse of the Aral Sea.
Kyzylorda Region governor Murat Yergeshbayev met international experts José Brilha and Somayeh Saediyounesi, who are assessing whether the site meets UNESCO requirements, regional authorities said. The main evaluation mission will take place from July 6 to 13 and will examine the park’s natural sites, infrastructure, management system, scientific potential, and efforts to preserve the region’s heritage.
Kazakhstan sent the official application for the Aral Geopark’s inclusion in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network to the organization’s headquarters in November 2025. Four tourist and educational routes have also been prepared as part of the application process.
UNESCO Global Geoparks are single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed through a concept that combines protection, education, and sustainable development. According to UNESCO, the network currently includes 241 geoparks in 51 countries.
For Kazakhstan, recognition would give the Aral region greater international visibility. The geopark is intended to preserve the region’s geological, natural, historical, and cultural heritage while supporting research, tourism, and local economic development.
The project is also part of wider efforts to restore the Aral region and broaden its economic base. Yergeshbayev said Kazakhstan is paying close attention at the national level to the area’s recovery, including the development of the geopark as a scientific and natural site.
The Aral Geopark covers a landscape shaped by the retreat of the sea. According to the geopark’s official description, its sites include the Barsakelmes State Nature Reserve, the Akespe hot spring, the Zhaksykylysh salt deposits, Lake Kamystybas, mausoleums, and settlements on the former seabed.
UNESCO recognition is not automatic. A territory must first operate as a geopark, prepare a full application through national structures, undergo document checks, and host a field evaluation. Recommendations are then reviewed by UNESCO bodies before a final decision by the organization’s Executive Board.
If approved, the Aral Geopark would become Kazakhstan’s first internationally recognized global geopark. Regional authorities say the status would help raise tourist interest, expand scientific research, and improve living standards for local residents.
As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed in December 2025 creating a dedicated United Nations body to address global water management challenges, including the deteriorating ecological conditions of the Aral and Caspian seas.
In January 2026, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov instructed ministries to accelerate the second phase of Kazakhstan’s Northern Aral Sea restoration plan. The goal is to increase the sea’s volume by around 10 to 11 billion cubic meters over the next four to five years.
