A dossier will be built to propose the area of the World Natural Heritage Site Ha Long Bay, which is in the northern province of Quang Ninh, be expanded to Cat Ba archipelago in nearby Hai Phong city.
Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has assigned dossier compilation tasks to the People’s Committees of Hai Phong and Quang Ninh, and relevant agencies.
The dossier looks to seek UNESCO recognition of Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba archipelago as a world natural heritage site. It must be compiled in line with the 1972 World Heritage Convention and Viet Nam’s relevant regulations.
Ha Long Bay spans 1,553 square kilometres and includes 1,969 islands of various sizes. It was twice recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 and 2000.
Meanwhile, Cat Ba archipelago covers more than 17,000 hectares of land and 9,200 hectares of sea.
It boasts a typical ecological system in Viet Nam, including tropical rain forests on limestone islands, mangrove forests, coral reefs, sea grass, sand beaches and cave networks.