The English Riviera Geopark (ERG) in Torbay is one of eight Geoparks in the United Kingdom, and one of over eighty worldwide. It is the only urban Geopark, and was declared a Geopark on 16 September 2007. The Geopark covers 6,200 hectares of land and 4,100 hectares of sea bed. Geopark status was granted to Torbay on the grounds that the area has a varied geology covering several geological periods, which are exposed to the surface in many areas, and also that Torbay Council and other bodies have worked to promote the area's distinctive geology to the community via education.