GYRO PHOTOGRAPHY/amanaimagesRF via Getty Images
パリに本部を置く世界ジオパークネットワークは9月23日、世界的に貴重な地形や地質が残る自然公園「世界ジオパーク」に、熊本県の「阿蘇」を認定した。国内地域の認定は、島根県の隠岐諸島に続き7件目だ。MSN産経ニュースなどが報じた。
世界ジオパークネットワーク（ＧＧＮ、本部・パリ）は２３日、世界的に貴重な地形や地質が残る自然公園「世界ジオパーク」に、熊本県の「阿蘇」を認定した。カナダの世界ジオパーク「ストーンハンマー」で開催中の国際大会で発表、国内での認定は７例目となる。
（MSN産経ニュース「世界ジオパークに阿蘇認定 国内７例目 山陰海岸も再認」より 2014/09/23 10:53）
阿蘇は熊本県の北東部に位置する高原地帯。阿蘇山の巨大噴火によるカルデラは、面積が約350平方キロにも及ぶ。2009年に日本ジオパークに認定されている。今も噴煙を上げ続けている中岳をはじめ、多様な火山地形が広がっているのが特徴だ。
美しい阿蘇の大自然をスライドショーでどうぞ。
阿蘇山の雄大な大自然
Nabegataki falls(01 of42)
Japan, Kyushu Region, Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso, Oguni, Morning view of Nabegataki falls. (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:JTB Photo via Getty Images)
Horses grazing and Mt Eboshi(02 of42)
Japan, Kyushu Region, Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso, Horses grazing and Mt Eboshi mountain in background. (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:JTB Photo via Getty Images)
Aso Volcano Japan(03 of42)
(credit:samxmeg via Getty Images)
Aso crater volcano, Japan, panorama(04 of42)
(credit:AliceEscalier via Getty Images)
Hill Komezuka(05 of42)
Japan, Kyushu Region, Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso, View of Hill Komezuka. (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:JTB Photo via Getty Images)
Mount Aso(06 of42)
Japan, Kyushu Region, Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso, Komezuka, sea of clouds near Mount Aso. (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:JTB Photo via Getty Images)
Mt. Naka-Dake(07 of42)
Japan, Kyushu Region, Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso, View of Lake near Mt. Naka-Dake. (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:JTB Photo via Getty Images)
Volcano crater with tourist(08 of42)
(credit:Kazuko Kimizuka via Getty Images)
Wide Panorama over Asos Village in Kefalonia. Greece(09 of42)
(credit:C0rnholio via Getty Images)
Mount Aso(10 of42)
Japan, Kyushu Region, Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso, Komezuka, sea of clouds near Mount Aso. (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:JTB Photo via Getty Images)
Mount Aso Komezuka(11 of42)
Japan, Kyushu Region, Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso, Komezuka, View of Mount Aso. (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:JTB Photo via Getty Images)
Mount Aso(12 of42)
Japan, Kyushu Region, Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso, Komezuka, sea of clouds near Mount Aso. (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:JTB Photo via Getty Images)
Kusasenrigahama and Mt Naka-dake(13 of42)
Japan, Kyushu Region, Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso, View of Lake at Mt Naka-dake. (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:JTB Photo via Getty Images)
Mt. Eboshi(14 of42)
Japan, Kyushu Region, Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso, View of Mt. Eboshi. (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:JTB Photo via Getty Images)
Nabegataki falls(15 of42)
Japan, Kyushu Region, Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso, Oguni, Morning view of Nabegataki falls. (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:JTB Photo via Getty Images)
Meotodaki Falls(16 of42)
Japan, Kyushu Region, Kumamoto Prefecture, Aso, Minamioguni, Sunbeam on Meotodaki Falls. (Photo by: JTB Photo/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:JTB Photo via Getty Images)
Komedzuka in Aso, Kumamoto, Japan(17 of42)
(credit:tomophotography via Getty Images)
Takachiho Gorge, Kyushu Island, Japan(18 of42)
(credit:Travel Ink via Getty Images)
Mount Aso(19 of42)
(credit:@hapidayss via Getty Images)
Active volcano Nakadake Crater(20 of42)
(credit:William Chu via Getty Images)
Smoke from volcano crater(21 of42)
(credit:Kazuko Kimizuka via Getty Images)
Clouds(22 of42)
(credit:Bloomsbury Photo Production All rights reserved via Getty Images)
Spring water and green moss(23 of42)
(credit:Yusuke Murata via Getty Images)
Shirakawa Suigen(24 of42)
(credit:Ridarz\'9 via Getty Images)
Takezaki Suigen, Kumamoto Prefecture,(25 of42)
(credit:Ridarz\'9 via Getty Images)
Mt. Aso, Kumamoto Prefecture,(26 of42)
(credit:Ridarz\'9 via Getty Images)
Stardust(27 of42)
(credit:Bloomsbury Photo Production All rights reserved via Getty Images)
Daikanbo at Aso(28 of42)
(credit:monbetsu hokkaido via Getty Images)
Landscape of Kusasenri(29 of42)
(credit:Yuko Yamada via Getty Images)
Aso-Komezuka(30 of42)
(credit:GYRO PHOTOGRAPHY/amanaimagesRF via Getty Images)
Horses at Mount Aso, Aso, Kumamoto, Japan(31 of42)
(credit:MIXA via Getty Images)
Mount ASO. Kumamoto. Japan(32 of42)
(credit:2nix via Getty Images)
Road(33 of42)
(credit:Wataru Miyakawa via Getty Images)
Senrigahama (Aso, Kumamoto, Japan)(34 of42)
Sigma DP2+C-PL\né¿èããåéãæµ (credit:t-mizo/Flickr)
ASO panorama line(35 of42)
22 Aug. 2010 Aso, Kumamoto - Daikanbo - Makinoto pass - Yuhuin, Oita\nè¥å¾å¤§æ´¥ããé¿èå±±ã大観峰ããã¾ãªã¿ãã¤ã¦ã§ã¤ãéããç§ãæ¸å³ ãééãã¦ç±å¸é¢ã§æ¸©æ³ã«å¥ã£ã¦å¸°ãã¾ããã (credit:muneaki/Flickr)
Senrigahama (Aso, Kumamoto, Japan)(36 of42)
Sigma DP2+C-PL\né¿èããåéãæµ\n\nThis lake was made by Mt. Aso.\nMt. Aso is not only the one of the famous volcano in Japan, but also has the largest caldera in the World! (credit:t-mizo/Flickr)
Aso, Kumamoto(37 of42)
22 Aug. 2010 Aso, Kumamoto\né¿èããã©ãã©ã¤ã³ (credit:muneaki/Flickr)
aso caldera(38 of42)
entrance of hell was too beautiful.. (credit:lazy fri13th/Flickr)
ããå¤ã®åé¿è(39 of42)
ç«éé§ (credit:seldamn/Flickr)
Mt. Aso caldera(40 of42)
The caldera of Mt. Aso, spewing gas as it does every day. (No, that\'s not ash, don\'t worry. Just sulfuric acid!) (credit:Molly Des Jardin/Flickr)
Spring water and green moss(41 of42)
(credit:Yusuke Murata via Getty Images)
Takezaki Suigen, Kumamoto Prefecture,(42 of42)
(credit:Ridarz\'9 via Getty Images)
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