Geoheritage Significance of the North Riyadh UNESCO Global Geopark, Central Saudi Arabia
摘要
The North Riyadh UNESCO Global Geopark (NRUGGp) was established in 2025. It occupies an area of about 3221 km2 in central Saudi Arabia and conserves 20 geosites of exceptional geological significance. This paper aims to document and interpret the key geoheritage features of the NRUGGp. These include prominent escarpments, diverse structural features, a rich fossil record, and dynamic Quaternary landscapes. Notably, the Geopark encompasses: (1) the Jurassic Tuwaiq Mountains, which contain extensive carbonate platforms rich in macrofossils and represent exceptional ancient reefal ecosystems, petroleum reservoir rocks, and organic-rich source rocks. These outcrops provide valuable surface analogs for subsurface hydrocarbon systems and include one of the most prolific Jurassic source rocks responsible for generating a significant portion of the petroleum in the Arabian Basin. They serve as natural laboratories for studying the complete petroleum system, from shallow marine deposition to modern arid weathering processes; (2) extensive karst systems developed through differential weathering of resistant Jurassic limestone and softer argillaceous beds; and (3) Quaternary landforms, such as dunes, sabkhas, and oases. The NRUGGp integrates scientific research, geoeducation, and sustainable ecotourism, contributing to Saudi Vision 2030 through community-based conservation and geoscience outreach.