PM thanks voters for Ha Long award

HA NOI — A ceremony was held for the formal naming of Ha Long Bay as a new world wonder at My Dinh stadium in Ha Noi last night.

Speaking at the ceremony, Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber, president and founder of the Zurich-based New7Wonders Foundation, pledged to promote Ha Long Bay to the international community.

On November 11, 2011, Ha Long Bay was named among the world's seven new natural wonders following a public poll.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung told Weber that Viet Nam would work closely with other countries to promote the new world wonders to the international community.

Dung also thanked Weber for launching the new seven wonders poll, as well as those who voted for Ha Long Bay.

Ha Long Bay, which was recognised by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage site in 1994, is seated on an area of about 1,553 sq. metres. It includes 1,969 islets, most of which are limestone, that were formed over 500 million years.

The bay, which has a 120km coastline, is home to 14 endemic floral and about 60 endemic fauna species. — VNS