The first list of IUGS Geological Heritage Sites was disclosed in Spain in 2022, with China securing seven geological heritage sites, making it one of the countries with the highest number of sites selected in this round.
Among these sites are the Ordovician rocks of Qomolangma — also known as Mount Everest — in Xizang autonomous region, the Early Cretaceous Rhyolitic Columnar Rock Formation of Hong Kong, and Shilin Karst in Yunnan province.