Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party	Vietnam
Type	Natural
Criteria	viii
Reference	951
Region†	Asia-Pacific
Inscription history
Inscription	2003  (27th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Location	Quang Binh Province, North central Vietnam
Nearest city	Dong Hoi
Coordinates	17°32′14″N 106°9′4.5″E / 17.53722, 106.15125
Area	857. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex As of 2008 there are a total of 878 World Heritage Sites located in 145 "State Parties" Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Asia, Australia and the Pacific ( Australia) A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution For the district in Ha Giang Province, see Quang Binh (district. Bắc Trung Bộ (literally North Central Coast) is one of the regions of Vietnam. Đồng Hới is the capital city of Quảng Bình province, in the north central coast of Vietnam. 54 km²
Established	2001
Governing body	People Committee of Quang Binh Province

Phong Nha - Ke Bang (Vietnamese: Vườn quốc gia Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng) is a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Bố Trạch and Minh Hóa districts of central Quang Binh Province, in north-central Vietnam, about 500 km south of the nation's capital, Hanoi. For the district in Ha Giang Province, see Quang Binh (district. Vietnamese ( tiếng Việt, or less commonly Việt ngữ) formerly known under French colonization as Annamese ( see Annam) A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex Bố Trạch is a district ( huyện) in Quang Binh Province. Minh Hóa is a district ( huyện) in Quang Binh Province, in the North Central Coast of Vietnam. For the district in Ha Giang Province, see Quang Binh (district. Bắc Trung Bộ (literally North Central Coast) is one of the regions of Vietnam. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Hanoi ( Vietnamese: Hà Nội Hán Tự: 河[[wikt 内|内]], estimated population 3398889 (2007, is the Capital of Vietnam The park borders the Hin Namno Nature Reserve in the province of Khammouan, Laos by the west, 42 km east of South China Sea from its point. Hin Namno or Hin Namno National Biodiversity Conservation Area is a nature reserve in Khammouane Province, Laos. ||} Laos is divided into 16 provinces ( Lao ແຂວງ khoueng) 1 municipality (ນະຄອນຫລວງ kampheng nakhon) and formerly Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma The South China Sea is a Marginal sea south of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from Singapore to the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is situated in a limestone zone of 200,000 hectare in Vietnamese territory and borders another limestone zone of 200,000 hectares of Hin Namno in Laotian territory. Hin Namno or Hin Namno National Biodiversity Conservation Area is a nature reserve in Khammouane Province, Laos. Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma The core zone of this national park covers 85,754 hectares and a buffer zone of 195,400 ha. ^[1] The park was created to protect one of the world's two largest karst regions with 300 caves and grottoes and also protects the ecosystem of limestone forest of the Annamite Range region in north central coast of Vietnam. Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone A grotto (Italian grotta) is any type of natural or artificial Cave that is associated with modern historic or prehistoric use by humans An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants animals and micro-organisms( Biotic factors in an area functioning together with all of the non-living physical ( Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 The Annamite Range is a mountain range of eastern Indochina, which extends approximately 1100 km (700 miles through Laos, Vietnam, and a small area in Bắc Trung Bộ (literally North Central Coast) is one of the regions of Vietnam. ^[2][3]

Phong Nha-Ke Bang area is noted for its cave and grotto systems as it is composed of 300 caves and grottos with a total length of about 70 km, of which only 20 have been surveyed by Vietnamese and British scientists; 17 of these are in located in the Phong Nha area and three in the Ke Bang area. Phong Nha holds several world cave records, as it has the longest underground river, as well as the largest caverns and passageways. ^[1]

The park derives it name from Phong Nha cave, the most beautiful of all, containing many fascinating rock formations, and Ke Bang forest. ^[4]

The plateau on which the park is situated is probably one of the finest and most distinctive examples of a complex karst landform in Southeast Asia. Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone ^[5]

This national park was listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites in 2003 for its geographical values as defined in its criteria viii. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 ^[5]

History of exploration

Champa inscriptions carved on steles and altars in the cave demonstrate that people had inhabited the cave long before the area was annexed by Vietnam in the nam tien southward expansion. The kingdom of Champa ( Chăm Pa in Vietnamese or Chiêm Thành in Hán Việt records was an Indianized kingdom and controlled what A stele (from Greek:, stēlē, ˈstiːli plural stelae,, stēlai, ˈstiːlaɪ also found Latinised singular stela

In 1550, Dương Văn An was the first Vietnamese man to write about Phong Nha cave. Dương Văn An (1514-? ( tự: Tỉnh Phú, Hán Tự: 楊[[wikt 文|文]] 安) was a minister in the cabinet of Mạc Dynasty Phong Nha cave was depicted in 9 urns in the Citadel of the Nguyen Dynasty in Huế. The Nguyễn Dynasty (Nhà Nguyễn Hán Việt: Nguyễn triều 阮朝 was the last ruling family of Vietnam. ( 化 in Chữ Nôm) is the capital city of Thừa Thiên - Huế province, Vietnam. ^[1]

In 1824, Phong Nha cave was conferred the title "Diệu ứng chi thần" (Han Tu: 妙應之神) by king Minh Mang. Hán tự ( {{IPA|/han˦˥ tɯ˨/}}; 漢[[wikt 字|字]] meaning " Chinese character " or chữ Nho ( {{IPA|/tɕɯ˧˨˧ ɲɔ/}} Minh Mạng ( Hán tự: 明[[wikt 命|命]] 1791-1841 born Nguyễn Phúc Đảm 阮[[wikt 福|福]] 膽, also known as Nguyễn It was also conferred by Nguyen kings as "Thần Hiển Linh" (Han Tu: 神顯靈). ^[6]

In the late 19th century, Léopold Michel Cadière, a French Catholic priest, conducted an expedition to explore Phong Nha cave, where he discovered Champa scripts. Père Léopold Michel Cadière (1869-1955 is a French Missionary of Paris Foreign Missions Society ( Missions Etrangères de Paris) who wrote 250 research He proclaimed Phong Nha cave "The number one cave of Indochina"^[3]. In July 1924, an English expeditionist, Barton, stated that Phong Nha cave is second to none of famous caves of Padirac (France), Cuevas del Drach (Spain) as far as the beauty and miracles are concerned. Padirac is a town and commune in the Lot département, in southern France. ^[7][1]

In 1935, a local inhabitant accidentally discovered a beautiful cave 1 km from Phong Nha cave mouth, at an elevation of 200 m. It was called Tien Son cave (lit. : Fairy-tale cave), or Dry cave due to the fact that its inside landscape is similar to fairy-tales and it has no underground river. ^[8]

In 1937, the Bureau of Tourism of French Resident Superior (in Huế) issued a brochure to introduce tourism in Quang Binh and Phong Nha Cave was included in this introduction. ( 化 in Chữ Nôm) is the capital city of Thừa Thiên - Huế province, Vietnam. This tour site is ranked second in French Indochina. First French interventions See also France-Vietnam relations France-Vietnam relations started as early as the 17th century with the mission of the Jesuit Before 1990, several explorations were conducted by Vietnamese and foreign groups but the mystery of this area still remained. From 1990 on, there marked a turning point in discovering activities, from exploration to research, thus full documents for submission to UNESCO for World Natural Heritage nomination were made available.

For the first time in 1990, Hanoi University accepted the cooperation proposal of the British Cave Research Association. Vietnam National University Hanoi ( Vietnamese language: Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội) is a University in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam The British Cave Research Association is a registered charity whose object is to promote the study of caves and associated phenomena They combined efforts in exploring and researching caves and grottoes in the area comprehensively. The first exploration was conducted in 1990 by a group from the British Cave Research Association and Faculty for Geology and Geography of Hanoi University, led by Howard Limbert. Vietnam National University Hanoi ( Vietnamese language: Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội) is a University in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam They completed research of a large part of Vom Cave.

In 1992, the second exploration was conducted by a group of 12 British scientists, six professors from Hanoi University. Vietnam National University Hanoi ( Vietnamese language: Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội) is a University in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam This time, this group completed their exploration of 7,729 m of Phong Nha Cave and 13,690 m of Vom Cave and adjacent caves and grottos. In 1994, a third exploration was carried out by a group of 11 British scientists and five Vietnamese professors of Hanoi University. Vietnam National University Hanoi ( Vietnamese language: Đại học Quốc gia Hà Nội) is a University in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam

In 1999 scientists from the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre also conducted zoological and botanical surveys in the Ke Bang area. Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre (Vietnamese Trung tâm nhiệt đới Việt Nga) is a scientific research organization in Vietnam. ^[1]

From the results of these three explorations, more thorough knowledge of the cave and grotto systems in this park was made available to the Vietnamese and local government for the protection, planning, and tourism development of this park. ^[3]

In 2005, scientists from the British Cave Research Association discovered a new cave and named it Paradise Cave (động Thiên Đường). The British Cave Research Association is a registered charity whose object is to promote the study of caves and associated phenomena The newly discovered cave was acclaimed by the British scientists as "the largest and the most beautiful cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang area". ^[9][10]

On June 1, 2006, the Ministry of Culture and Information of Vietnam issued a stamp collection of depicting various landscapes found in Phong Nha-Ke Bang. ^[11]

Geography

Location

Inside Phong Nha Cave

Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park is located in the territories of communes ((Vietnamese): xã): Tan Trach, Thuong Trach, Phuc Trach, Xuan Trach and Son Trach of Bo Trach district and a small part of Minh Hoa district in the center of Quang Binh province, around 40 km north-west of the provincial capital city of Dong Hoi. Bố Trạch is a district ( huyện) in Quang Binh Province. Minh Hóa is a district ( huyện) in Quang Binh Province, in the North Central Coast of Vietnam. For the district in Ha Giang Province, see Quang Binh (district. Đồng Hới is the capital city of Quảng Bình province, in the north central coast of Vietnam. The park is bordered by Hin Namno karst area of Khammouan Province of Laos in the west. Hin Namno or Hin Namno National Biodiversity Conservation Area is a nature reserve in Khammouane Province, Laos. Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma The road distances are about 500 km south of the capital Hanoi and 260 km north of the port city of Da Nang. Hanoi ( Vietnamese: Hà Nội Hán Tự: 河[[wikt 内|内]], estimated population 3398889 (2007, is the Capital of Vietnam This article is about the city of Đà Nẵng For the Vietnam War era air base see Da Nang Air Base or Đà Nẵng International Airport. The geographical coordinates are 17°32′14″N, 106°9′4.5″E. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. ^[7]

The park is situated around 30 km west of South China Sea and National Road 1A, near Ho Chi Minh Highway and 28 km west of Hanoi-Saigon Railway and is accessed by road or waterway by boat through the estuary in South China Sea upwards. The South China Sea is a Marginal sea south of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from Singapore to the National Road 1A ( Vietnamese language: Quốc lộ 1A (or abbrv Ho Chi Minh Road or Ho Chi Minh Highway ( Vietnamese language: Đường Hồ Chí Minh) is a highway in Vietnam. The Vietnam North-South Railway, also known as the Reunification Express, is a Railway that runs from Ha Noi to Ho Chi Minh City. There is a small airport near the park accessible by helicopter or small aircraft (Khe Giat Airbase), an airbase used by North Vietnamese Air Force during Vietnam War, notably in the Battle of Dong Hoi. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

Park layout

Before becoming a national park, this area had been a nature reserve. The Phong Nha Nature Reserve with an area of 5,000 ha was officially declared by the Vietnamese government on 9 August 1986 and was extended to 41,132 ha by 1991. On December 12, 2001, the Vietnamese Prime Minister by Decision 189/2001 189/2001/QĐ-TTG turning then a nature reserve into a national park. Events 627 - Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II 's Persian ^[7] The purpose of this protected area is to protect forest resources, biodiversity within the boundary of this national park and to preserve scientific values of fauna and flora in Bac Trung Bo region, especially rare species native to this region. Bắc Trung Bộ (literally North Central Coast) is one of the regions of Vietnam.

The park covers a total area of 857. 54 km² which are divided into three zones, a "strictly protected zone" (648. 94 km²), an "ecological recovery zone" (174. 49 km²), and an "administrative service zone" (34. 11 km²). ^[7]

Climate

Like Bac Trung Bo in general and Quang Binh Province in particular, the climate in this national park is tropical, hot, and humid. Bắc Trung Bộ (literally North Central Coast) is one of the regions of Vietnam. For the district in Ha Giang Province, see Quang Binh (district. The annual mean temperature is 23 to 25 °C, with a maximum of 41 °C in the summer and a minimum of 6 °C in the winter. The hottest months in this region fall from June to August, with an average temperature of 28 °C, and the coldest months from December to February with an average temperature of 18 °C. Annual rainfall is 2,000 mm to 2,500 mm, and 88% of the rainfall is from July to December. With more than 160 rainy days per year, no month is without rain. Mean annual relative humidity is 84%. ^[1]

History of formation

The Phong Nha–Ke Bang karst has evolved since the Paleozoic (some 400 million years ago) and so is the oldest major karst area in Asia. The Paleozoic or Palaeozoic Era (from the Greek palaio (παλαιο "old" and zoe (ζωη "life" meaning "ancient life" Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone It has been subject to massive tectonic changes, and comprises a series of rock types that are interbedded in complex ways. Probably as many as seven different major levels of karst development have occurred as a result of tectonic uplift and changing sea levels, thus the karst landscape of PNKB is extremely complex with high geodiversity and many geomorphic features of considerable significance. Like much of Vietnam, it has been subject to extensive tectonic change, and so the limestones of Phong Nha are inter-bedded with a number of other rocks. There is also strong evidence that sulphurous solution and hydrothermal action have played an important role in shaping the broad-scale landscape and the caves, though this has not yet been properly assessed. ^[2]

Phong Nha-Ke Bang area today is a result of 5 stages of Earth's crust development and movement in this area:^[3]

• Late Ordovician - Early Silurian Stage (about 450 Ma)
• Middle-late Devonian Stage (about 340 Ma)
• Carboniferous-Permian (about 300 Ma)
• Mesozoic Orogenic stage
• Cenozoic stage.

Geological significance

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is one of the world's two largest limestone regions. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 In comparison with 41 other world heritage sites which have karsts, Phong Nha has dissimilar geomorphic, geologic and biotic conditions. The karsts of Phong Nha can be traced back to Palaeozoic era, 400 million years ago. The Paleozoic or Palaeozoic Era (from the Greek palaio (παλαιο "old" and zoe (ζωη "life" meaning "ancient life" This makes Phong Nha the oldest major karst in Asia. If the Hin Namno, bordering Phong Nha on the west (in Laotian territory) was to be combined with the national park in a continuous reserve, the combined reserve would be the largest surviving karst forest in South-east Asia (317,754 ha). Hin Namno or Hin Namno National Biodiversity Conservation Area is a nature reserve in Khammouane Province, Laos. Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma

In general, there are two groups of landforms in the Phong Nha - Kẻ Bàng area, namely non-karstic and karstic landforms. Non-karstic landforms includes three types: The middle and low dome-block mountains developed in intrusive magmatic massifs; The middle denudation-structural mountain belts developed in terrigenous rocks of Cretaceous age; and The low block-denudational mountain belts developed in other terrigenous rocks.

Karstic landforms in this area are of typical tropical karst which are divided into two groups of forms: The karstic forms on the surface including cone and tower karst, karrens, valleys and dolines, border polje, etc; The underground karst consisting of caves. ^[3]

In comparison with three other national parks listed in UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in Southeast Asia, namely Gunung Mulu National Park in Malaysia, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Palawan of the Philippines and Lorentz National Park in West Irian of Indonesia and some other karst regions in Thailand, China, Papua New Guinea, karst in Phong Nha-Ke Bang is older, has more complicated geological structure; diverse and complex underground rivers. Gunung Mulu National Park near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses incredible Caves For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 kilometers north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines Palawan is an Island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Lorentz National Park is located in the Indonesian province of Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya (western New Guinea) The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Papua New Guinea (or ˈpæpjuːə in Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini) officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone ^[2]

A scene inside Phong Nha Cave, the most beautiful caves in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park

Spectacular stalagmite in a cave in the Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park

Mounts and summits

Phong Nha - Ke Bang also contains two dozens of mountain peaks with over 1,000 metres in height. Noteworthy peaks are the Peak Co Rilata with ta height of 1,128 m and the Peak Co Preu with a height of 1,213 m. ^[1]

Mounts in karstic area of the park rise at typical height of above 800 m constitute a continuous range along Laotian-Vietnamese borderline, of which notable summits above 1000 m are: Phu Tạo (1174 m), Co Unet (1150 m), Phu Canh (1095 m), Phu Mun (1078 m), Phu Tu En (1078 m), Phu On Chinh (1068 m), Phu Dung (1064 m), Phu Tu Ôc (1053 m), Phu Long (1015 m), Phu Ôc (1015 m), Phu Dong (1002 m). Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone Inserting into these summits are 800-1000 m high summits of Phu Sinh (965 m), Phu Co Tri (949 m), Phu On Boi (933 m), Phu Tu (956 m), Phu Toan (905 m), Phu Phong (902 m), núi Ma Ma (835 m).

Non-karstic topograhical area accounts for a low percentage, distributing mainly in outer circle of limestone in the north, northeast and southeast of this national park. Karst topography is a landscape shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble Bedrock, usually Carbonate rock such as Limestone The height of these summits varies from 500-1000  m with the deep divisions and high sloping level from 25-30o. There are some narrow valleys along streams such as Am creek, Cha Lo creek, Chua Ngút creek and a valley along Rao Thuong river in the southernmost edge. In the north-south direction, there exists notable summits: Phu Toc Vu (1000 m), Mã Tác (1068 m), Cổ Khu (886 m), U Bò (1009 m), Co Rilata (1128 m); The highest summit in the non-karstic area and also the highest summt of this national park is Co Preu (1213 m), a summit in the southernmost edge of the park. ^[3]

Rivers and streams

Son River in the Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park

Underground river in Phong Nha cave

Besides the grotto and cave systems, Phong Nha has the longest underground river. The Son and Chay are the main rivers in this national park. This is about the river in India, for a river in Vietnam, see Son River (Vietnam The Son River or Sone of central Most of caves here have been shaped by Son and Chay Rivers. The Son River flows into the mouth of the Phong Nha cave and keeps on underground, where it is called as the Nam Aki River. It emerges 20 km to the south near Pu-Pha-Dam Mountain. ^[12]

There are over ten spectacular streams, springs and waterfalls in Phong Nha-Ke Bang area, namely: Gió waterfall, Madame Loan waterfall, Mọc stream erupting from a limestone mount range, and Trạ Ang stream. ^[13]

Cave and grottoes

Phong Nha-Ke Bang covers 300 different grottoes and caves. Phong Nha cave is assessed by BCRA as the top cave in the world due to its 4 top records: the longest underground river, the highest and longest cave, broadest and most beautiful fine sand beaches inside the caves, the most spectacular stalagmites and stalactites. ^[14][15][4]

According to the assessment of UNESCO, The karst formation of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has evolved since the Palaeozoic (some 400 million years ago) and so is the oldest major karst area in Asia^[5] and Phong Nha displays an impressive amount of evidence of earth’s history. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 It is a site of very great importance for increasing our understanding of the geologic, geomorphic and geo-chronological history of the region. ^[5]

Emythology

The name Phong Nha-Ke Bang includes Phong Nha cave and Ke Bang limestone forest. Phong Nha is widely explained as originating from Hán tự: 风牙, which means wind-tooth (wind flowing from the cave and stalactites and stalagmites inside the cave looking like teeth)^[16][17], but other theorires suggest that Phong Nha is the name of a nearby village and therefore, its name has nothing to do with wind and teeth as widely explained^[18][3]

According to Lê Quý Đôn, Phong Nha was the former name of a nearby village. Hán tự ( {{IPA|/han˦˥ tɯ˨/}}; 漢[[wikt 字|字]] meaning " Chinese character " or chữ Nho ( {{IPA|/tɕɯ˧˨˧ ɲɔ/}} A stalactite ( Greek stalaktites, (Σταλακτίτης from the word for "drip" and meaning "that which drips" is a type of Speleothem A stalagmite (from the Greek stalagma ("Σταλαγμίτης" "drop" or "drip" is a Le Quy Don (Lê Quý Đôn 黎貴敦 1726–1784 was an 18th-century Vietnamese philosopher poet encyclopedist and government official ^[19] Other theory suggests that, Phong Nha derived its name from the imagination that mounts in this region standing in line looks similar to the scene of mandarins in front of the king in royal courts, therefore, it was named Phong Nha (Han Tu: phong (峰) means "summit" and nha (衙) means "mandarin"). Hán tự ( {{IPA|/han˦˥ tɯ˨/}}; 漢[[wikt 字|字]] meaning " Chinese character " or chữ Nho ( {{IPA|/tɕɯ˧˨˧ ɲɔ/}} ^[20]

Other names of Phong Nha cave includes: Thầy Tiên cave, Thầy Mount, and Troóc cave. ^[6]

The Phong Nha cave

This cave from which the name to the whole system and the park is derived is famous for its rock formations which have been given names such as the "Lion", the "Fairy Caves", the "Royal Court", and the "Buddha". Buddharūpa (बुद्धरूप literally 'Form of the Awakened One' is the Sanskrit and Pali term used in Buddhism for statues or models of the This cave is 7729 m long, contains 14 grottos, with a 13,969 m-long underground river. The scientists have surveyed 44. 5 km of grottos in this cave so far, but tourists can only penetrate to a distance of 1500 m. ^[1] Phong Nha Caves, like most of the caves in this area, has been continuously shaped by the Chay River. As one gets farther into the cave, the more illusory the stalactites and stalagmites look as they glitter when bright light is shone on them. The Son River flows into the mouth of the cave and keeps flowing underground, where it is referred to as the Nam Aki River, then this river emerges at a site 20 km to the south near Pu Pha Dam Mountain. The main Phong Nha cave includes 14 chambers, connected by an underwater river that runs for 1. 5km. Secondary corridors branch off in all directions. The Outer Cave and some of the Inner Caves have roofs that tower between 25 and 40 meters above the water level. From the 14th chamber there may be other corridors leading to similarly large chambers, but this area proves more dangerous for explorers because of the ongoing erosion of the limestone of the cavern. The Shallow cave is located 800 meters from the cave mouth, where there is a spectacular landscape of sand and rock. Stalactites and stalagmites jut out like strange trees, exciting visitor’s imaginations. ^[12] Notable caves and grottos: Phong Nha Cave system:

• Dark Grotto (Hang Tối): located upstream of Son River running to the branch of Chay River on the left. This cave is 5,258 m long and with a height of 83 m. The entry is high and wide with heavy forest around the cave mouth.

• E Grotto (Hang E): a 736 m-long grotto accessible by Ho Chi Minh Trail. The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam to the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam through
• Cha An Grotto (Hang Chà An): a 667 m-long grotto, with the width of 15 m.
• Thung Grotto (Hang Thung): This grotto has an underground river of 3351 m, with the height in some part exeed 133 . This river receives water resources from Rao Thuong.
• En Grotto (Hang Én): a 1645 m long, 78. 6 m high grotto. The grotto is wide, there is fine sand field inside. This grotto is the habitat of thousands of sparrows.
• Khe Tien Grotto (Hang Khe Tiên): located south of Phong Nha, this grotto is 520 m long.
• Khe Ry Grotto (Hang Khe Ry): located south of Phong Nha. The grotto is where the stream Khe Ry (a 13. 817 km or 8. 585 mi long stream at the elevation of 120 m, originating from a mount 1300 m high) runs out.
• Khe Thi Grotto (Hang Khe Thi): The Khe Thi stream originating from the mount and runs underground at this grotto.

Vom Cave systems

• Vom Grotto (Hang Vòm): a 15. 05 km long, 145 m high grotto with several underground rivers, pools. This grotto features several spectacular stalagmite and stalactites.
• Dai Cao Grotto (Hang Đai Cao): this grotto is a connection of Vom Grotto. This grotto is 1645 m long, 28 m high. .
• Duot Grotto (Hang Duột): This is a connection of Dai Cao Grotto with the length of 3. 927 km and height of 45 m. There are some fine sand fields inside.
• Ca Grotto (Hang Cá): a 1,500 m long, 62 m high grotto.
• Ho Grotto (Hang Hổ): A connection of Ca Grotto with the length of 1,616 m and the height of 46 m
• Over Grotto (Hang Over): a 3,244 m long, 103 m high grotto, with the width from 30–50 m.
• Pygmy Grotto (Hang Pygmy): This 845 m long grotto has several streams falling from mounts.
• Ruc Caroong Grotto (Hang Rục Caroòng): This the habitat of Arem ethnic group. They live in the caves, grottos and on hunting, harvesting natural products. ^[21]

Tien Son Cave

Tien Son cave is another beautiful cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang area. Tien Son cave was discovered by a local inhabitant by accident in 1935. ^[8] It is located in Son Trach Commune, Bo Trach District. The entry mouth of Tien Son is 1 km from Phong Nha cave, at an altutude of 200 m. This cave is 980 m in length. A 10 m deep hole is situated 400 m from the entry mouth, then a 500 m long underground cave, dangerous for tourists and therefore is open to professional expeditionists only. Like Phong Nha cave, this cave features spectacular stalactites and stalagmites shaped like several fairy-tales. Stalactite and stalagmite columns and walls here create strange sounds like that of gong and drum if they are knocked with the hand. According to British cave scientists, Tien Son cave was created tens of million years ago when a water current holed this limestone mount in Ke Bang. Following a series of landforms and movement of rocks, this mass was levered or lowered, blocking the current and creating what is now Tien Son cave while the underground river redirected its current to Phong Nha cave. Although Phong Nha and Tien Son caves are located next to each other, there are no linking grottos between them. ^[22]

Thien Duong Cave

Thien Duong (Paradise) Cave is a newly found cave in this area. It is regarded by British cave scientists as the largest and longest cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang, with the most beautiful and spectacular stalactites and stalagmites in the park. A stalactite ( Greek stalaktites, (Σταλακτίτης from the word for "drip" and meaning "that which drips" is a type of Speleothem A stalagmite (from the Greek stalagma ("Σταλαγμίτης" "drop" or "drip" is a Nevertheless, tourists are only able to visit some hundred meters and a comprehensive survey has not been conducted yet due to the danger it may create in the farther side and therefore knowledge of this cave is limited and it remains a mystery to the scientists. ^[23]

Biodiversity in the park

Florae

Trees on the limestone mounts, a typical florae in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

The park is part of the Annamites eco-region. The Annamite Range is a mountain range of eastern Indochina, which extends approximately 1100 km (700 miles through Laos, Vietnam, and a small area in By far the largest vegetation type is tropical dense moist evergreen forest on limestone under 800 m above sea level. 96. 2% of this national park is covered with forest, 92. 2% of which is intact primary forest. 74. 7% (110,476 ha) of the park is covered with evergreen tropical wet forest on limestone rocks at the elevation of under 800 m; 8. 5% (12,600 ha) is evergreen tropical wet forest on limestone rocks at the elevation of above 800 m; 8. 3% (12,220 ha) evergreen tropical wet forest on soil mounts at the elevation of under 800 m; evergreen tropical wet forest on limestone rocks at the elevation of under 800 m; 0. 7% (1,070 ha) evergreen tropical wet forest on limestone rocks at the elevation of above 800; 1. 1% impacted evergreen tropical wet forest on limestone rocks; 2. 8% (4,212 ha) impacted evergreen tropical wet forest on soil mounts; 1. 3% (1,925) grass, bush on limestone rocks; 2% (2,950 ha) grass, bush on soil mounts; permanent wetland forest: 180 ha; rattan and bamboo forest: 150 ha; and agricultural plants: 521 ha or 0. 3%. ^[3][24] According to the results of initial surveys, the primary tropical forest in Phong Nha - Ke Bang 140 families, 427 genera, and 751 species of vascular plants, of which 36 species are endangered and listed in the Vietnam's Red Data Book. Vietnam's Red Data Book (Vietnamese Sách đỏ Việt Nam) is a list of rare and endangered species of fauna and flora native to Vietnam.

The most commont tree species in this park are Hopea sp. , Sumbaviopsis albicans, Garcinia fragraeoides, Burretionendron hsienmu, Chukrasia tabularis, Photinia aroboreum and Dysospyros saletti. Sumbaviopsis albicans is a Plant Species of the family Euphorbiaceae and the sole member of the Genus Sumbaviopsis Seedlings can only grow in holes and cracks in the limestone where soil has accumulated, so in general regeneration after disturbance is slow.

The forest type in this national park is dominated by evergreen tree species with scattered deciduous trees such as Dipterocarpus kerri, Anogeissus acuminate, Pometia pinnata and Lagerstroemia calyculata. In Botany, an Evergreen plant is a plant having leaves all year round

In this park, the dominant plant families are the Lauraceae, Fagacaeae, Theaceae and Rosaceae, with some scattered gymnosperms such as Podocarpus imbricatus, Podocarpus neriifolius, and Nageia fleuryi. The Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of Flowering plants included in the order Laurales. The Theaceae is a Family of Flowering plants composed of shrubs and trees The Rosaceae or Rose family is a large family of Plants with about 3000-4000 species in 100-160 genera Gymnosperm (Gymnospermae are a group of Spermatophyte seed-bearing Plants with Ovules on the edge or blade of an open Sporophyll, which are UserPolbot. --> Podocarpus neriifolius is a species of Conifer in the Podocarpaceae family UserPolbot. --> Nageia fleuryi is a species of Conifer in the Podocarpaceae family ^[24][21]

In this national park, there exists a 5000-ha forest of Calocedrus macrolepis on limestone (Calocedrus rupestris) mounts with about 2,500 trees, 600 per hectare. This is the largest forest with this tree in Vietnam. Most of the trees here are 500-600 years old. These trees are listed in group 2A (rare, precious and limited exploitation) of the official letter 3399/VPCP-NN dated 21 June 2002, an amendment to the Decree 48 by the Government of Vietnam. ^[25]

Natural University, Hanoi National University, in combination with the Research Center of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, has discovered 1,320 additional species in this park, of which some groups are assessed as specially rare and precious. ^[25]

Biologists have discovered three rare orchid species. ^[26] Orchids found here include: Paphiopedilum malipoense, Paphiopedilum dianthum, Paphiopedilum concolor. Paphiopedilum malipoense is commonly known as the Jade Slipper Orchid. UserPolbot. --> Paphiopedilum dianthum is a species of Plant in the Orchidaceae family Paphiopedilum concolor is a small terrestrial Orchid with dark green and grey-green mottled leaves In 1996 IUCN classified these orchid species in danger of extinction in the near future. ^[25]

Endemic species in this national park is composed of: Burretiodendron hsienmu, Cryptocarya lenticellata,Deutrizanthus tonkinensis, Eberhardtia tonkinensis, Heritiera macrophylla, Hopea sp. UserPolbot. --> Burretiodendron hsienmu is a species of Flowering plant in the Tiliaceae family , Illicium parviflorum, Litsea baviensis, Madhuca pasquieri, Michelia faveolata, Pelthophorum tonkinensis, Semecarpus annamensis, Sindora tonkinensis. UserPolbot. --> Madhuca pasquieri is a species of Plant in the Sapotaceae family UserPolbot. --> Sindora tonkinensis is a species of Legume in the Fabaceae family ^[3]

Faunae

Saola, a species found in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

Cyrtodactylus phongnhakebangensis, a newly found species in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

The forest is also home to 98 families, 256 genera and 381 species of vertebrates. The Saola or Vu Quang ox, also infrequently Vu Quang bovid ( Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) one of the world's rarest Mammals is a Forest Cyrtodactylus phongnhakebangensis (Vietnamese Thằn lằn Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng) is a species of Gecko native to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Sixty-six animal species are listed in the Vietnam's Red Data Book and 23 other species in the World Red Book of Endangered Species. Vietnam's Red Data Book (Vietnamese Sách đỏ Việt Nam) is a list of rare and endangered species of fauna and flora native to Vietnam. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data List) created in 1963 is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global

In 2005, a new species of gecko (Lygosoma boehmeiwas) was discovered here by a group of Vietnamese biologists together with biologists working for the park, Cologne Zoo in Germany and the Saint Petersburg Wild Zoology Institute in Russia. Geckos are small to average sized Lizards belonging to the family Gekkonidae which are found in warm climates throughout the world The Aktiengesellschaft Cologne Zoological Garden is the Zoo of Cologne, Germany. ^[27]

The Gaur and one species of eel have been discovered in this park. The gaur (ˈɡaʊɚ ( Bos gaurus, previously Bibos gauris) is a large dark-coated bovine animal of South Asia and Southeast Asia. ^[1] Ten new species never seen before in Vietnam were discovered by scientists in this national park. ^[28]

The Park is home to significant populations of primates in Vietnam, with ten species and sub-species. A primate is a member of the biological order Primates ( Latin: "prime first rank" the group that contains Lemurs the Aye-aye These include the globally vulnerable Pig-tailed Macaque, Assamese Macaque, Stump-tailed Macaque and White-cheeked Crested Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys and Nomascus leucogenys siki). The Assam Macaque ( Macaca assamensis) is a Macaque lives throughout much of southern and southeast Asia, including India, Nepal The Stump-tailed Macaque ( Macaca arctoides) also called the Bear Macaque, is a species of Macaque found in Southern Asia. The Park is probably home to the largest population of Francois' Langur in Vietnam, including two different forms of the species. The Francois' Langur or Francois' Leaf Monkey ( Trachypithecus francoisi) is a species of Lutung and the Type species of its Species The area is highly significant for its population of Hatinh Langur and Black Langur. The Hatinh Langur ( Trachypithecus hatinhensis) is a highly threatened Old World monkey found in limestone forests in Vietnam, primarily in the It is undoubtedly the largest population of these species in the world, and probably the only population represented in a protected area. Other endangered large mammals include the Mainland Serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), Giant Muntjac (Megamuntiacus vuquangensis) and possibly the Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis). The Mainland Serow, Capricornis sumatraensis is an endangered species of mammal The Giant Muntjac ( Muntiacus vuquangensis) is a species of Muntjac Deer. The Saola or Vu Quang ox, also infrequently Vu Quang bovid ( Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) one of the world's rarest Mammals is a Forest The Asiatic Black Bear (Selenarctos thibetanus) and Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) are confirmed. The Sun Bear ( Helarctos malayanus) is a Bear found primarily in the Tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. Other smaller mammals include Sunda Pangolins (Manis javanica) and the recently discovered Striped hare, called locally 'tho van' (Nesolagus timminsii). The Sunda Pangolin ( Manis javanica) also known as the Malayan Pangolin, is a species of Pangolin found in South-East Asia, including Ten bat species listed in the IUCN List of Threatened Species have been recorded in this park.

Of the 59 recorded reptile and amphibian species, 18 are listed in Vietnam's Red Data Book and 6 are listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers Prehistoric amphibian Amphibians (class Amphibia such as Frogs Toads Salamanders Newts Gymnophiona, Sirens and Vietnam's Red Data Book (Vietnamese Sách đỏ Việt Nam) is a list of rare and endangered species of fauna and flora native to Vietnam. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data List) created in 1963 is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global The 72 fish species include 4 species endemic to the area, including Chela quangbinhensis. Devario quangbinhensis or Chela quangbinhensis is a species of Fish endemic to Asia in general and in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, ^[1][3]

The park is home to over 200 bird species, inclusive of several rare birds such as: Chestnut-necklaced Partridge, Red-collared Woodpecker, Brown Hornbill, Sooty Babbler and Short-tailed Scimitar-babbler. UserPolbot. -->The Chestnut-necklaced Partridge ( Arborophila charltonii) is a species of Bird in the UserPolbot. --> The Red-collared Woodpecker ( Picus rabieri) is a species of Bird in the Picidae UserPolbot. -->The Sooty Babbler ( Stachyris herberti) is a species of Bird in the Timaliidae UserPolbot. -->The Short-tailed Scimitar-babbler ( Jabouilleia danjoui) is a species of Bird in the ^[29][30] There is good evidence for the Vietnamese Pheasant (Lophura hatinhensis) and Imperial Pheasant (Lophura imperialis) species at Phong Nha - Kẻ Bàng area. The Vietnamese Pheasant ( Lophura hatinhensis) is a species of Gallopheasant. The Imperial Pheasant, Lophura × imperialis is a dark blue medium-sized up to 75cm long Pheasant with bare red facial skin blue crest crimson legs ^[3]

An initiative survey conducted by Russian and Vietnamese scientists from Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre (funded by WWF) recorded 259 butterfly species of 11 families. Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre (Vietnamese Trung tâm nhiệt đới Việt Nga) is a scientific research organization in Vietnam. Almost all major butterfly taxa in Vietnam can be found in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. ^[3]

Historical significance

The oldest evidence of human occupation of the area are Neolithic axe heads and similar artifacts found in some of the caves. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos Phong Nha - Ke Bang is home to archeological and historical relics, such as an ancient hieroglyphic script of the Cham ethnic minority. The Cham people ( Vietnamese: người Chăm or người Chàm) are an ethnic group in Southeast Asia. ^[1] In 1995, the Archeological Institute of Vietnam remarked that Phong Nha cave is probably an extremely important archeological site. This organization suggested that what remained in Bi Ky grotto may have been a Champa mosque from the 9th to 11th century. Inside Phong Nha cave, many Champa style ceramics, earthware vases with lotus-shaped ruby-colored, slight pink mouth. ^[31]

In 1899, a French missioner, Léopold Cadière surveyed the customs and culture of the local inhabitants living along the Son River. In the letter to École française d'Extrême-Orient, he stated that: “What remains here proves to be valuable for history. The École française d'Extrême-Orient (EFEO is a French institute dedicated to the study of Asian societies To keep it is to help science”. In early 20th century, cave explorers and researchers from France and the UK discovered several ancient Champa and Vietnamese relics, such as altar, steles, hieroglyphic script, sculptures, stone statues, Buddha statues, and Chinese artifacts.

King Ham Nghi built a base for the Vietnamese resistance against the French colonialists in the late 19th century. Emperor Hàm Nghi ( Hán tự: 咸[[wikt 宜|宜]] 帝) Nguyễn Phúc Ưng Lịch (22 July 1872 - 14 January 1943 at the "Purple Forbidden City" See Colony and Colonization for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialism ^[1]

During the Vietnam War, the caves were an impregnable major base of the North Vietnamese Army, comprising; Xuan Son Ferry, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Road 20, Mụ Giạ, A. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam to the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam through T. P, Trà Ang, Cà Tang, a curve road, Ve stream, Six Sisters grotto, Nine Story grotto, Nguyen Van Troi Ferry, storage depots in caves and grottos in Tuyen Hoa, and Minh Hoa. Tuyen Hoa (Tuyên Hóa is a district (''huyện'' of Quang Binh Province in the North Central Coast region of Vietnam. Minh Hóa is a district ( huyện) in Quang Binh Province, in the North Central Coast of Vietnam. ^[31]

Recognition by UNESCO

Nomination and recognition in 2003

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park was first nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. Dossiers was first submitted by Vietnamese government to UNESCO for recognition of Phong Nha nature reserve as a world natural heritage under the name “Phong Nha Nature Reserve”. The reason given for the nomination was that this nature reserve satisfied criteria of biodiversity, unique beauty and geodiversity (criteria I and iv). ^[29]

In 1999, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) conducted a field survey in January and February. At the meeting in July 1999, Evaluation Bureau concluded that Phong Nha Nature Reserve would meet with criteria I and IV as a world heritage nominee on the condition that this nature reserve was expanded to include the larger Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park with an associated fully integrated management structure. This bureau stated that the site was part of an extremely complex and ancient karst plateau with high geodiversity which also encompasses Ke Bang and Hin Namno karsts. The reserve is largely covered in tropical forest with a high level of biodiversity and endemic species. Lack of research means that the true significance of the biodiversity and geology of the area cannot be fully assessed. The evaluation bureau concluded that the nominated area on its own is not considered to meet World Heritage criteria. Nevertheless, if this nature reserve was jointly nominated with the Hin Namno karst ecosystem in Laos, the combined site would constitute the largest surviving area of karst forest in South-east Asia and may merit World Heritage status. Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma The Bureau decided to defer the nomination of Phong Nha Nature Reserve. ^[2]

In 2000, the government of Vietnam submitted a revised nomination with a much larger area. At this time, however, the National Assemby and government of Vietnam also announced that it would be constructing the north-south Ho Chi Minh Highway and a link road between the Highway and Route 20 that bisects part of the core area of the Phong Nha Nature Reserve. The news of this road construction raised concern over its impacts on the Phong Nha Nature Reserve, and many international organization like IUCN, Flora and Fauna International called on Vietnamese government to reconsider its plan. They also advised of the negative impact of these road and construction activities on biodiversity. Due to this plan of road construction, the evaluation bureau did not proceed further consideration of nomination from Vietnamese government at that time.

The government of Vietname provided the bureau with additional information in in May 2002, announcing the decision of the Prime Minister of Vietnam (December, 2001) on the upgrading of the Phong Nha – Ke Bang Nature Reserve to the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park with a total area of 85,754 ha; providing information on projects for the conservation and development of the Park and revised maps. Office The Prime Minister of Vietnam (Thủ tướng Việt Nam is the head of the executive branch of the Vietnamese government This revised nominated site has a much smaller area than the 2000 nomination, though still relatively larger than that of 1998. ^[2]

It was recognized as a world natural heritage site at the UNESCO's 27th general assembly session being held in Paris June 30–July 5, 2003. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. At the session, delegates from over 160 member countries of UNESCO World Heritage Convention agreed to include Phong Nha-Ke Bang park and 30 others worldwide in the list of world heritage sites. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park meets with criteria viiii in accordance with UNESCO’s appraisal scale as it displays an impressive amount of evidence of earth’s history and is a site of very great importance for increasing human understanding of the geologic, geomorphic and geo-chronological history of the region. ^[5]

Recognition for a second time

The National Council for Cultural Heritage, an organization under the Ministry of Culture and Information of Vietnam (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) recommended the Vietnamese prime minister that Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park be submitted to UNESCO second time for recognition as a world natural heritage for biodiversity (in 2003, this park was listed in UNESCO’s world heritage sites for criteria viii “outstanding geological, geomorphical, and geographical values”.

Vietnamese and international experts believed that if Vietnam timely submits the proposal documents to UNESCO and meet this UNESCO’s criteria, this national park will be recognized for a second time in 2008.

Since the recognition by UNESO in 2003, the government of Vietnam has continued to compile scientific documentation to seek recognition of the park as a world natural heritage in terms of biodiversity in addition to geographical values. According to World Wildlife Foundation report in 2000, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is one of 200 biodiversity centres of the world and one of the 60 significant sanctuaries of Vietnam. It has a unique forest type in the world: green tropical forest. The park also has 15 other types of forests.

At the final conference of the National Council for Cultural Heritage held in Vietnam in 2007, scientists attending the meeting highly praised the scientific documentation of Phong Nha-Ke Bang park. Accordingly, the park is second to no other national parks listed in UNESCO’s world heritage sites as far as biodiversity is concerned. ^[32]

Tourist activities

Boats for tourist in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park

The number of tourists has increased dramatically since the park was listed in UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. ^[33]

Quang Binh Province has invested into upgrading the Phong Nha-Ke Bang visitor site to turn it into one of Vietnam's major tourist destinations. For the district in Ha Giang Province, see Quang Binh (district.

Multiple eco-tourist projects have been licensed for development and the area is being heavily developed by the province to turn it into a major tourist site in Vietnam. Phong Nha Ke Bang is part of a tourism promotion program called: "Middle World Heritage Road" which includes the ancient capital of Huế, the Champa relics of My Son, the city of Hoi An, nha nhac and the Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The Middle World Heritage Road (or Con duong Di san Mien trungis a tourism program initiated by the Administration of Tourism of Vietnam ( 化 in Chữ Nôm) is the capital city of Thừa Thiên - Huế province, Vietnam. The kingdom of Champa ( Chăm Pa in Vietnamese or Chiêm Thành in Hán Việt records was an Indianized kingdom and controlled what Mỹ Sơn (mi sɤn is a Hindu Temple complex located in the village of Duy Phú in the administrative district of Duy Xuyên in Quảng Nam province Hội An is a small city on the coast of the South China Sea in the South Central Coast of Vietnam. Nhã nhạc is a form of Vietnamese court music Vietnamese court music is very diverse but the term nhã nhạc (meaning "elegant music" or "ceremonial The Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands of Vietnam ( Vietnamese: Không gian văn hóa Cồng Chiêng Tây Nguyên) was recognized by UNESCO as ^[4]

Tourist activities in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park are organized by local travel agencies and vary in form:

• Tour for expedition of caves and grottos in boats and with professional cave expedtion means. ^[34]
• Ecotourism, discovering the florae and fauna in this national park in the Ke Bang Forest. ^[35]
• Mountain climbing: There are extreme sloping mountains here with a height of over 1,000 m, which is a real challenge for adventurous climbers. ^[34]

One of the adventure tour sites is boating upward on the Chay River into primitive forests, as the river becomes sinuous with several waterfalls and whirlpools until tourists arrive at Tro Mong. This tour sites have been surveyed and included in local travel agents besides cave exploration tour. In Phong Nha-Ke Bang park, there are is a 50 m-high waterfall, Chai Waterfall. There is a bull filed called Ran Bo (Bull Field) due to the fact that wild bulls usually comes and reproduce in mating season. There are also some interesting tourist attractions in this park like Nước Ngang (lit. : Horizontal Spring), a spring runs horizontally instead of vertically as usual; Ðá Nằm (Crouching Stone), a stone blockading a stream current; Chân Thớt (Chopping Board), a chopping-board-shaped stone. But above all, the most spectacular scene is this area is Nước Trồi (Surfacing Stream), a stream surfacing from the ground. Several streams here run for a long distance, then disappear under the ground. ^[36]

Thanks to the tourism development in this national park, about 1000 local residents have jobs in tourism. The provincial Centre for Phong Nha-Ke Bang’s Ecotourism and Culture currently has 248 boats, creating jobs for 500 locals . Every boat has two trained boatmen earning VND70,000 per day. This income is relatively high for peasants in this province. This centre also launched a programme in 2000 to train former loggers to work as photographers taking pictures for tourists and about 300 former loggers are now doing this. ^[33]

In order to facilitate the increasing flow of tourists to the site, the Dong Hoi Airport was constructed and is due to be operational at the end of 2008. Dong Hoi Airport ( Vietnamese: Cảng hàng không Đồng Hới or Sân bay Đồng Hới) is an Airport located in Loc Ninh commune 6

Phong Nha-Ke Bang, together with Ha Long Bay and Fanxipan of Vietnam, is listed as a candidate for 7 new world natural wonders vote. Ha Long Bay (Vịnh Hạ Long is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Quảng Ninh province, Vietnam. Fansipan or Fan Si Pan ( Phan Xi Păng in Vietnamese) is a mountain in Vietnam, the highest in Indochina, at 3 143 m As of February 12, 2008 it ranked 10th in the voting list^[37]

Management issues

Management activities

The Park Management Board includes just 115 people, composed of zoologists, botanists, silviculturalists, and socio-economists. This management staff lacks the authority to fine violators and lacks equipment like helicopters and sufficient funds, thus it's hard to efficiently deal with natural and human threats to the park. ^[1][1][29]

A 18-hectare semi-wild zone, surrounded by electrical wire fence, saved for the primate species was created in this park. This project is sponsored by Zoologische Gesellschaft Frankfurt (Germany) in order to provide a sanctuary for 10 species of primates, including Trachypithecus francoisi hatinhensis, red-shanked douc langur or Pygathrix nemaeus nemaeus). Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. This protection zone is suitable for primates habitat. ^[26]

Threats to biodiversity

There are two villages of Arem an Ma Coong ethnic groups in the core zone of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Within the buffer zone, there is a population of 52,001. They are mainly Kinh people and other minority groups of Chut and Van Kieu, many of them exploit forest products as part of their livelihoods.

The increase of visitors to this park is also a problem to the park since unexpected pollution (water pollution, rubbish), human impacts on caves and grottos may cause damage to them and especially threaten biodiversity. Hunting is a significant threat to the wildlife because local people have a great consumption demand on wild meat and this has contributed to the significant decrease of species such as the wild pig, binturong and primates. The Binturong ( Arctictis binturong) also known as the Asian Bearcat, the Palawan Bearcat, or simply the Bearcat, is a species of the family While local authorities have taken no legal action, nevertheless, some civil servants and policemen are the owners of restaurants that serve wild animal meats hunted in this national park. ^[38][39] Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is currently not meaningful for protection of tigers, Asian Elephants, and wild bulls. The tiger ( Panthera tigris) is a member of the Felidae family the largest and the most powerful of the four " Big cats quot in the Genus The Asian or Asiatic Elephant ( Elephas maximus) sometimes known by the name of one of its subspecies &ndash the Indian Elephant, is one of ^[29]

Rare eels like Anguilla marmorota and Anguilla bicolo have been caught and consumed in large numbers by the local residents and served as specialities in restaurants due to the fact that local inhabitants believe they are "natural Viagra". Sildenafil citrate, sold as Viagra, Revatio and under various other trade names is a drug used to treat Erectile dysfunction (male impotence ^[40]

Excessive exploitation of rare wood such as Go Mun wood (Diospyros spp. ) and Go Hue wood (Dalbergia rimosa) and oils from trees such as Cinnamomum balansea, rattan has cause an exhaustion of these plants in many areas of the park. Rattan (from the Malay rotan) is the name for the roughly six hundred Species of palms in the tribe Calameae, native to tropical Bat population in caves and grottos also face disturbance by human activities.

Ho Chi Minh Highway, Road 20 crossing the edge zone and the connection road linking these two roads crossing the core zone also contribute danger to the wildlife in this national park, especially populations of Hatinh Langur and Black Langur. Ho Chi Minh Road or Ho Chi Minh Highway ( Vietnamese language: Đường Hồ Chí Minh) is a highway in Vietnam. The Hatinh Langur ( Trachypithecus hatinhensis) is a highly threatened Old World monkey found in limestone forests in Vietnam, primarily in the During the construction of this road, blasts and other activities kept several primates away from their regular habitat. ^[41][42]

Due to poor management by the local government, many areas of forest in the buffer zone were cleared heavily, some completely. ^[43]

Limestone in Phong Nha-Ke Bang area has been exploited for commercial purposes by local inhabitants, but the local authority has taken no countermeasures to prevent this. ^[44]

The provincial government approved a 3600MW coal-fueled thermaleclectrical plant in Vĩnh Sơn village, Quảng Đông commune, Quang Trach district, 40 km northeast of this national park. Quảng Trạch is a district ( Huyện) of Quang Binh Province, in the North Central Coast of Vietnam. This project has deeply concerned many enviromentlists as it will probably cause air and water pollution to the park. ^[45]

Wildfire in the dry season is a regular threat to the forest in this national park. A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, brush fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, Peat fire, ^[1]

Land management in adjacent areas

The land management and regulation of the commercial activities in the area surrounding the park have been carried out by the provincial authorities in a disorganized manner. Blocks of land have been sold to local investors and inhabitants for building service utilities in a haphazard way, resulting in the formation of a slum at the entrance of the park. This has been compounded by some investors who do not develop their lots but hold them for future sale. The planning scheme for 200 hectares of land adjacent to the park was criticized by many experts as having been done "without future vision". ^[46][47] Quang Binh's provincial government responded by declaring their intention to recruit internationally-recognised planners to help draft tourism development plans for the adjacent areas. ^[48]

International funding

On November 3, 2005, the German government announced funding valued at 12. Politics of Germany takes place in a framework of a federal parliamentary representative democratic Republic, whereby the Federal Chancellor 6 million euros for the park's management board for the purpose of protecting the biodiversity of the park. ^[49][50]

In 2007, the German government donated a further 1. 8 million euros to Vietnam for protection of this park. ^[51]

Fauna & Flora International donated USD 132,000 to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park Management Board for the protection of primates in this national park as well as in the buffer zone. Fauna and Flora International (formerly the Fauna and Flora Preservation Society) was founded in 1903 as the Society for the Preservation of the Wild Fauna of the Empire ^[52]

In 1998, FFI conducted a training project for the management staff of the park. The British Commission for International Development sponsored a fund for the WWF to protect the biodiversity in the park and in the adjacent Hin Namno Nature Reserve in Laos. Hin Namno or Hin Namno National Biodiversity Conservation Area is a nature reserve in Khammouane Province, Laos. Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma FFI also received environmental funding from the British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to implement a campaign targeted at increasing awareness about biodiversity protection among tourists and locals. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs ( Defra) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for environmental protection ^[29]

References

Further reading

• Anon. (1993). Management plan of Phong Nha Nature Reserve Quang Binh province. Unpublished report to Ministry of Forestry, Hanoi.
• Cao Văn Sung & Le Quy An (eds. ). (1998). Environment and Bioresources of Vietnam. Gioi Publishers, Hanoi.
• Eames J. C. , Lambert F. R. and Nguyen Cu. (1995). Rediscovery of the Sooty Babbler Stchyris herberti in central Vietnam. Bird Conservation International. 5: 129- 135.
• Le Xuan Canh, Truong Van La, Dang thi Dap, ho Thu Cuc, Ngo Anh Dao, Nguyen Ngoc Chinh, Vu Van Dung, Pham Hnat, Nguyen Tahia Tu, Nguyen Quoc Thang and Tran Minh Hien. (1997). A report of field surveys on Biodiversity in Phong Nha Ke Bang forest (Quang Binh Province, central Vietnam). IEBR / FIPI / Forestry College / University of Vinh / WWF Indochina Programme. Unpublished.
• Nadler, T. (1996-1997). Black langur rediscovered. Asian Primates 6 (3 & 4): 10-12.
• Nguyen Binh. (1961). Brief Introduction of Mountainous Minority People of Quang Binh Province. Ethnology 23, Hanoi.
• Nguyen Quang My and Howard Limbert. (1993). Tropical Karst in Vietnam. Hanoi University.
• Nguyen Quang My & Limbert, Howard. (2002). Ky Quan Hang Dong Vietnam (The Wonders of Vietnamese Caves). Trung Tam Ban Do Va tranh Anh Giao Duc, Hanoi.
• Nguyen Quoc Loc, (1984). The Minority Ethnic Groups of Binh Tri Thien Province. Thuan Hoa Publishing House.
• Nguyen Xuan Dang, Pham Nhat, Pham Trong Anh, Hendrichsen, D. K. (1998). Ket qua dieu tra nghien cuu khu he thu o Phang Nha - Ke Bang (survey results of fauna in Phong Nha-Ke Bang). FFI Indochina Programme/IEBR, Hanoi. In Vietnamese.
• Ovel, C. and Nguyen Thi Dao. (1998). LINC: linking Him Namno and Phong Nha through parallel conservation: phase 1 Phong Nha Ke-Bang Nature Reserve, Vietnam Draft project document. WWF Indochina Programme, Hanoi.
• Pham Khang. (1985). The development of karst landscapes in Vietnam. Acta Geologica Polonica. 35 (3-4). pp 305-319.
• Pham Nhat, Do Tuoc and Truong Van La. (1996-1997). Preliminary Survey for the Hatinh Langur in north-central Vietnam. Asian Primates 6 (3 & 4): 13-17.
• Lippold, L. K. (1993). Distribution and status of the Douc Langurs in Vietnam. Asian Primates 5 (1 & 2): 4-6.
• Meijboom, M. & Ho Thi Ngoc Lanh. (2002). He Dong - Thuc Vat / O Phong Nha - Ke Bang Va Hin Namno. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park with WWF, Hanoi.
• Pham Nat, Do Tuoc, Truon Van La. (1995). A survey for Hatinh Langur (Trachypithecus francoisi hatinhensis) in North Central Vietnam. WWF/PCT.
• Timmins, R. J. , Do Tuoc, Trinh Viet Cong and D. K. Hendrichson. (1999). Preliminary Assessment of the Conservation Importance and Conservation Priorities of the Phong Nha-Ke Bang Proposed National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. Fauna and Flora International - Indochina Programme, Hanoi.
• Wikramanayake, E. D. et al. (2002). Terrestrial Ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific: A conservation Assessment. Island Press, New York. ISBN 1559639237

Gallery

The mouth of Phong Nha cave with underground river	Inside Phong Nha Cave in the Phong Nha Ke Bang	Underground river	Inside scene of the cave
Part of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park	Stalactites in the Dry Cave of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park	Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park	Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park
Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park	Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park

External links

• UNESCO World Heritage page for Phong Nha-Ke Bang
• See pictures of Phong Nha Ke Bang
• Phong Nha-Ke Bang on Thanhniennews in English
• "Amazing natural beauty of Phong Nha-Ke Bang", Vietnamnet News