In the Carpathian Bend Area in Romania, the hilly and mountainous territory of the Buzău Land UNESCO Global Geopark covers 1,036 km² and is home to some 45,000 inhabitants. Several tectonic plates collided in the region, creating a very complex fold and thrust mountain range which was later eroded by glacial action. One of the most geo-dynamically active areas in Europe, the geopark exhibits 40 million years of geological history. Over this period, its tectonic movements pushed up mountains and transformed a deep-sea environment into a terrestrial one. Fossils of marine species, terrestrial vegetation, mammals and birds dating from the last glaciation have been well-preserved in the Carpathians.