M.A. Thesis:

The role of geoparks in sustainable economic development (case study: Iran)

Geopark refers to a specific geographic range that has several beautiful and beautiful geological phenomena. In a geopark, there may be some natural, cultural, artistic, and historical attractions that can make a significant contribution to the region's economy. Geoparks have different functions that can be divided into three groups: educational - research, conservation and economics (geotourism). The strategic goals of the geoparks are to stimulate economic activity and sustainable development, which shows the direct effects of improving the living conditions of the people as well as changing the quality of the rural environments. For sustainable development and the dynamic economy of the country, there are more suitable ways that it is not necessary to spend on capital from future generations. The method of this research is descriptive-analytic. The results of the survey show that geoparks can play a major role in improving the sustainable economic development of cities and villages in Iran.

Keywords: Geopark, Sustainable Economic Development, Geotourism, Iran