Papuk Nature Park is for now Croatia's only UNESCO Geopark.
Establishing the Vis Archipelago as a geopark would help recognise the importance of the geological and geomorphological legacy and of geotourism as a specific form of tourism, the ministry said.
The initiative was launched by the Croatian Geological Institute in collaboration with the local community. A decision on admission of the Vis Archipelago to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network is expected in the spring of 2019.
The Vis Archipelago comprises seven sites protected by the Environmental Protection Act. The islets of Brusnik and Jabuka are protected as geological monuments, the Plava (Blue) Cave, the Medvidina (Monk Seal) Cave and the cave on Ravnik island are classified as geomorphological monuments, while Stiniva Cove and Ravnik island are categorised as important landscapes.
The aim of the UNESCO Global Geoparks programme is to protect the geological, geomorphological and other values of geoparks and ensure that they are managed in accordance with sustainable development goals and to the benefit of the local community.