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Volcano geological park opens in Hainan 
 
     

The photo taken on Jan. 7, 2006 shows the Ma'anling crater, a main scenic spot in the Shishan Volcanic Cluster National Geopark in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province.  (Xinhua Photo)
 
HAIKOU, Jan. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- China's southernmost Hainan Province opened the island's first national geological park at the Shishan volcano clusters on Saturday.

    Located 15 kilometers to the southwest of Haikou, the capital of Hainan, Shishan is one of the dormant volcano clusters erupting about 10,000 years ago, which is rare in China, insiders said.

    The volcano park possesses more than 40 volcanoes of different sorts and over 30 lava tunnels, storing abundant high quality mineral water and thermal spring resources.

    Tropical primeval forests can still be seen in the park while utensils made of basalt and some ancient houses are also available to the visitors.

    An official with the park said the Ministry of Land and Resources approved to build a national geological park in this area because the variety of volcano species have already made Shishan an important geological site of China.

    The ministry also decided, in November 2005, to apply for a world geological park toward United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) by integrating the Shishan park together with the Huguang Rock in Guangdong and Weizhou Island in Guangxi, south China.

    The UNESCO will inspect the above three places and made their final vote in August.