Chief minister Hajiji Noor said the decision was made by Unesco’s executive board in Paris on Wednesday, putting Sabah alongside Jeju Island in South Korea and Shennongjia in China with the distinction of having three Unesco sites.

Kinabalu Park’s two other Unesco “crowns” are the World Heritage Site, and the Unesco Crocker Range Biosphere Reserve, which were declared on Dec 2, 2000 and June 12, 2014, respectively.

“This is a great achievement for the state government under its Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya initiatives through the state tourism, culture and environment ministry and Sabah Parks,” he said in a statement today.

The Kinabalu Unesco Global Geopark, covering an area of 4,750 sq km, is now officially a global geotourism destination adding significant value to Sabah’s existing ecotourism products, he added.

“The geopark is home to many endemic plants and animals, including 90 orchid species found only on Mount Kinabalu.

“This includes the crimson-headed partridge bird not found anywhere else on earth.

“The latest Unesco status will bring direct and indirect benefit to Sabah’s socio-economy, particularly to the more than 290,000 local residents within the districts of Kota Belud, Kota Marudu and Ranau,” he said.

With the declaration of Kinabalu National Geopark as a Unesco Global Geopark, there are now 195 geoparks in the world located in 48 countries.

The Unesco Global Geopark label recognises the geological heritage of international significance.

Geoparks serve local communities by combining the conservation of their significant geological heritage with public outreach and a sustainable approach to development.