20 natural wonders by Christine Very
Eternal_Knight 2011/12/17 05:03
Eternal_Knight 2011/12/17 05:03
We all grew up learning about the 7 Natural Wonders of the World, whichup until recently, consisted of The Grand Canyon, The Great Barrier Reef, Harbour of Rio de Janeiro, Mount Everest, Aurora Borealis, Paricutin Volcano and Victoria Falls. In 2001 However, a Swiss corporation called New7Wonders, in conjunction with UNESCO, started an initiative to choose new wonders, based on public voting. On the 07/07/07, a brand new list of 7 man-made Wonders was released after more than 100,000,000 votes from the public where cast. Later in the same year, the 7 New Wonders of Nature campaign was launched, and the Vote count took place on 11/11/11. The announcement was made and now our new 7 Natural Wonders of the world consists of The Amazon River, Halong bay, Iquazu Falls, Jeju Island, Komodo Island, Puerto Princesa Underground River and Table Mountain. In this list I was less interested in looking at the 7 winning entries, as I am sure they will be spoken about for years to come, and more interested in looking at the entries that did not make it, as they might soon be forgotten. Of the 28 finalists for wish the public voted, this list is all about 20 that did not make it onto the list. All the entries are listed in alphabetical order, as I cannot judge which is better.
Eternal_Knight 2011/12/17 11:29
1 Angel Falls
Venezuela, 55803N 623208W
At a height of 979m, Angel Falls is the worlds highest waterfall. Found in the Canaima National Park in Venezuela, which has been a UNESCOWorld heritage site since 1994. The waterfall drops over the edge of Mt Auyantepui and plummets into the Korep River almost a kilometer below. This spectacular waterfall was named after Jimmie Angel, who was the first U.S. pilot to fly over the falls. The falls makes for one of Venezuelas most popular tourist attractions, even though reaching it proves to be rather difficult as visitors will need to fly to the Canaima camp before trekking through the jungle and taking boats up the river. Trips to the falls can only be made during the rainy season when there is enough water to take the boats up river and get a glimpse of the magical waterfall.
2
Black Forest
Germany, 48N 8E
The Black Forest is found in South-Western Germany. It was named the Black Forest by Romans, because of the dense tree growth, which blocks out the sun almost completely. The forest consists mainly of firs and pines, which were needed for wood and resulted in mass logging in 1999,obliterating acres of the forest and reducing its size to a fraction of whatit was. It is also the only home of Lumbricus badensis, which is a species of giant earth worm. The Black Forest is also the home of many small towns and villages from which black forest ham and black forest cake apparently originated.
1 Angel Falls
Venezuela, 55803N 623208W
At a height of 979m, Angel Falls is the worlds highest waterfall. Found in the Canaima National Park in Venezuela, which has been a UNESCOWorld heritage site since 1994. The waterfall drops over the edge of Mt Auyantepui and plummets into the Korep River almost a kilometer below. This spectacular waterfall was named after Jimmie Angel, who was the first U.S. pilot to fly over the falls. The falls makes for one of Venezuelas most popular tourist attractions, even though reaching it proves to be rather difficult as visitors will need to fly to the Canaima camp before trekking through the jungle and taking boats up the river. Trips to the falls can only be made during the rainy season when there is enough water to take the boats up river and get a glimpse of the magical waterfall.
2
Black Forest
Germany, 48N 8E
The Black Forest is found in South-Western Germany. It was named the Black Forest by Romans, because of the dense tree growth, which blocks out the sun almost completely. The forest consists mainly of firs and pines, which were needed for wood and resulted in mass logging in 1999,obliterating acres of the forest and reducing its size to a fraction of whatit was. It is also the only home of Lumbricus badensis, which is a species of giant earth worm. The Black Forest is also the home of many small towns and villages from which black forest ham and black forest cake apparently originated.
Eternal_Knight 2011/12/17 11:31
3.Bu Tinah Islands
United Arab Emirates, 2437N, 5305E
Bu Tinah is found in the waters of Abu Dhabi and is protected as a private game reserve. It is a tiny cluster islands, amongst extensive coral reefs and seaweed beds. It is recognized as a UNESCO marine biosphere reserve and is off limits to visitors. The Islands brag with at least 16 species of coral and holds high significance for climate change research as coral generally thrives in water with a temperature between 23C and 28C, but in this case, is thriving in water that can reach up to35C. The islands are also home to a wide range of wildlife including the rare hawksbill turtles and dugongs.
4
Cliffs of Moher
Ireland, 525610N 92815W
The Cliffs of Moher are located in Irelands County Clare. They range from a height of 120 meters to 214 meters and make a vertical plummetinto the Atlantic Ocean. Over a million tourists visit the cliffs for the exceptional view that they provide. The cliffs are home to an array of animals including 30,000 birds. Besides the wildlife and tourists, Youmight have seen the cliffs before, as they have been featured in a numberof films, including Leap Year, PrincessBride, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and several episodes of Father Ted.
3.Bu Tinah Islands
United Arab Emirates, 2437N, 5305E
Bu Tinah is found in the waters of Abu Dhabi and is protected as a private game reserve. It is a tiny cluster islands, amongst extensive coral reefs and seaweed beds. It is recognized as a UNESCO marine biosphere reserve and is off limits to visitors. The Islands brag with at least 16 species of coral and holds high significance for climate change research as coral generally thrives in water with a temperature between 23C and 28C, but in this case, is thriving in water that can reach up to35C. The islands are also home to a wide range of wildlife including the rare hawksbill turtles and dugongs.
4
Cliffs of Moher
Ireland, 525610N 92815W
The Cliffs of Moher are located in Irelands County Clare. They range from a height of 120 meters to 214 meters and make a vertical plummetinto the Atlantic Ocean. Over a million tourists visit the cliffs for the exceptional view that they provide. The cliffs are home to an array of animals including 30,000 birds. Besides the wildlife and tourists, Youmight have seen the cliffs before, as they have been featured in a numberof films, including Leap Year, PrincessBride, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and several episodes of Father Ted.
Eternal_Knight 2011/12/17 11:36
5
Dead Sea
Israel, Jordan, Palestine, 3120N 3530E
The Dead Sea is a stretch of water about 67km long and 18km wide. It is a hyper saline lake and is 8.6 timessaltier than the oceans, with a 33.7%salt saturation. The Dead Sea and its surrounding coastline is also the lowest elevation of the earths surface at 423meters below sea level and is also the deepest hyper saline lake on earth, with a depth of 377m. The Dead Sea received its name as no marine life or animals can flourish or survive in the extremeconditions. The mud from the bottomof the Dead Sea is full of minerals and nutrients, which is used commonly in spas and resorts, as well as proving an effective treatment for eczema and psoriasis. The ultimate reason why tourists flock to the Dead Sea however is that the high density of the water (2.24kg/L) allows a person to float on the surface.
6
El Yunque
Puerto Rico, 181900N 654700W
El Yunque National Forest is found onthe North Eastern side of Puerto Rico and is the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Forest System. The rainforest is situated on the slopes of the Sierra de Luquillo Mountains and covers a 113.3km2 area. The forest has diverse flora andfauna, including up to 23 species of plants which are endemic to the area. Due to the forests location just below the tropic of cancer, it does not have specified seasons and generally has year-round rains, which can amount to over 6m or 240inches of rainfall per year.
5
Dead Sea
Israel, Jordan, Palestine, 3120N 3530E
The Dead Sea is a stretch of water about 67km long and 18km wide. It is a hyper saline lake and is 8.6 timessaltier than the oceans, with a 33.7%salt saturation. The Dead Sea and its surrounding coastline is also the lowest elevation of the earths surface at 423meters below sea level and is also the deepest hyper saline lake on earth, with a depth of 377m. The Dead Sea received its name as no marine life or animals can flourish or survive in the extremeconditions. The mud from the bottomof the Dead Sea is full of minerals and nutrients, which is used commonly in spas and resorts, as well as proving an effective treatment for eczema and psoriasis. The ultimate reason why tourists flock to the Dead Sea however is that the high density of the water (2.24kg/L) allows a person to float on the surface.
6
El Yunque
Puerto Rico, 181900N 654700W
El Yunque National Forest is found onthe North Eastern side of Puerto Rico and is the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Forest System. The rainforest is situated on the slopes of the Sierra de Luquillo Mountains and covers a 113.3km2 area. The forest has diverse flora andfauna, including up to 23 species of plants which are endemic to the area. Due to the forests location just below the tropic of cancer, it does not have specified seasons and generally has year-round rains, which can amount to over 6m or 240inches of rainfall per year.
Eternal_Knight 2011/12/17 11:39
7
Galapagos
Ecuador, 0030S 9104W
The Galapagos Islands are a series ofsmall volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are about 972km west of Ecuador and form an Ecuadorian national park and biological marine reserve. There are 18 main islands in this relatively new geological formation and they are renowned for their diverse wildlife and connections to Charles Darwins theory of evolution, as he had also visited the Islands and based a large portion of his research on discoveriesmade there. In 1957, 97.5% of the Galapagos was declared a national park and in 1986, 70,000km2 of ocean surrounding the Islands wheredeclared a marine reserve. By 2001 both the national park and the marine reserve had been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO
8
Grand Canyon
USA, 360319N 1120719W
The Grand Canyon is located in Arizona, USA. It is believed that the Colorado River first cut its path through the would-be canyon, 17million years ago and has since been eroding it down to its current state. The Canyon is 446km long, up to 29km wide and about 1.8km deep. Through the years of erosion, almost 2 billion years of the Earths history has been exposed in the rock layers. The first evidence of human activity in the canyon is up to 3000 years old. The Pueblo Native Americans have inhabited the Grand Canyon for centuries, and some still reside there. The Canyons is also one of the worlds top tourist attractions and draws about 5 million people to it every year. The Grand Canyon was a prominent feature on the previous list of 7 natural wonders, but has failed to make the cut this time around.
7
Galapagos
Ecuador, 0030S 9104W
The Galapagos Islands are a series ofsmall volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are about 972km west of Ecuador and form an Ecuadorian national park and biological marine reserve. There are 18 main islands in this relatively new geological formation and they are renowned for their diverse wildlife and connections to Charles Darwins theory of evolution, as he had also visited the Islands and based a large portion of his research on discoveriesmade there. In 1957, 97.5% of the Galapagos was declared a national park and in 1986, 70,000km2 of ocean surrounding the Islands wheredeclared a marine reserve. By 2001 both the national park and the marine reserve had been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO
8
Grand Canyon
USA, 360319N 1120719W
The Grand Canyon is located in Arizona, USA. It is believed that the Colorado River first cut its path through the would-be canyon, 17million years ago and has since been eroding it down to its current state. The Canyon is 446km long, up to 29km wide and about 1.8km deep. Through the years of erosion, almost 2 billion years of the Earths history has been exposed in the rock layers. The first evidence of human activity in the canyon is up to 3000 years old. The Pueblo Native Americans have inhabited the Grand Canyon for centuries, and some still reside there. The Canyons is also one of the worlds top tourist attractions and draws about 5 million people to it every year. The Grand Canyon was a prominent feature on the previous list of 7 natural wonders, but has failed to make the cut this time around.
Eternal_Knight 2011/12/17 11:44
9
The Great Barrier Reef
Australia, Papua New Guinea, 18344S 1483319E
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The Great Barrier Reef is another wonder from the previous 7 natural wonders list that did not make it onto the new list. It is the largest reef system in the world and covers 344,400km2 with almost 3000 reefs and 900 islands. The reef is a protected world heritage site and one of the most thriving and diverse ecological sites in the world. The Great Barrier Reef is also the largest structure built by living organisms in the world and can be seen from space. This magnificent reef is also home to over 30 species of whale, dolphin and porpoise, 6 species of sea turtle and a whopping 1500 species of fish.
10
Jeita Grotto
Lebanon, 335635N 353836E
The Jeita Grotto is two large interconnected cave systems that span for over 9km. The astounding caves are located just 18km from theLebanese capital, Beirut. The two systems form the lower cave, which is only accessible by boat through an underground river system, which also happens to provide more than a million people with fresh drinking water, and the upper cave which forms large chambers and contain the worlds largest stalactite. A multitude of evidence has been found to suggest the caves being used as shelter by humans for thousands of years, long before their rediscovery in 1836. Evidence found in the caves suggest human presence, in the form of pot shards, spear heads, and bone shards, from the Late Palaeolithic/early stone age, the Neolithic/late stone age andthe Chalcolithic/copper age/transitional bronze age.
9
The Great Barrier Reef
Australia, Papua New Guinea, 18344S 1483319E
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The Great Barrier Reef is another wonder from the previous 7 natural wonders list that did not make it onto the new list. It is the largest reef system in the world and covers 344,400km2 with almost 3000 reefs and 900 islands. The reef is a protected world heritage site and one of the most thriving and diverse ecological sites in the world. The Great Barrier Reef is also the largest structure built by living organisms in the world and can be seen from space. This magnificent reef is also home to over 30 species of whale, dolphin and porpoise, 6 species of sea turtle and a whopping 1500 species of fish.
10
Jeita Grotto
Lebanon, 335635N 353836E
The Jeita Grotto is two large interconnected cave systems that span for over 9km. The astounding caves are located just 18km from theLebanese capital, Beirut. The two systems form the lower cave, which is only accessible by boat through an underground river system, which also happens to provide more than a million people with fresh drinking water, and the upper cave which forms large chambers and contain the worlds largest stalactite. A multitude of evidence has been found to suggest the caves being used as shelter by humans for thousands of years, long before their rediscovery in 1836. Evidence found in the caves suggest human presence, in the form of pot shards, spear heads, and bone shards, from the Late Palaeolithic/early stone age, the Neolithic/late stone age andthe Chalcolithic/copper age/transitional bronze age.
Eternal_Knight 2011/12/17 11:56
11
Mt Kilimanjaro
Tanzania, 3433S 372112E
Mt Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and is located in the Kilimanjaro National park in Tanzania. It is in fact a volcano with three distinct cones called Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira Kibo being the largest of the three and also having the mountains highest summit. Even though the huge volcano is located close to the equator, has lush tropicaland sub-tropical forests, savannahs and grasslands surrounding it, and receives up to 2000mm of rainfall per year, it is still capped with snow year round due to its enormous height of 5895m. After running tests on snow samples from the summit, it was determined that the base snow is over 11,000 years old. A major decrease in the amount of snow that caps Kilimanjaro has been witnessedsince 1912, it now carries an 80% lighter load than then, and is expected to be snow free by 2030. The two smaller volcanic cones are extinct, but Kibo, the largest, is only dormant and could erupt again in thefuture.
12
Islands of Maldives
Maldives, 3 15 N, 73 00 E
The Maldives, or the Republic of the Maldives, is a series of 26 natural Atolls (coral islands that surround a lagoon completely or partially) situated in the Indian Ocean, about 400km south-west of India. Each atoll consists of smaller islands and coral reefs and the Maldives 26 atolls form about 1130 smaller islands, of which only about 200 are inhabited. The Maldives are renownd for their diverse variety of colorful corals and is home to over 300 species of tropical fish. Seven new species of fish have been discovered fairly recently in the Maldives. Sadly, in 1998 the increase in water temperature brought on by El Nio, killed two thirds of the entirecoral population, but by 2004 methods using electrified, coral larvaattracting cones that speed up coral growth was discovered and the reefsare being rehabilitated.
13
Masurian Lake District
Poland, 5346N 2145E
The Masurian Lake District is found tothe north-east of Poland. It has over 2000 lakes spread across 52,000km2. Most of the lakes are interconnected by rivers forming a large, extensive system of waterways. The entire district was shaped by the Pleistocene Ice Age and is now a very popular tourist destination which offers fantastic boating opportunities, angling, cycling, hiking and canoeing, perfect for any nature lover. The entire area boasts 11 nature reserves with a wide variety of wild life. The area has a temperate climate with warm summers and cold winters, during which time the lakes freeze over.
11
Mt Kilimanjaro
Tanzania, 3433S 372112E
Mt Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa and is located in the Kilimanjaro National park in Tanzania. It is in fact a volcano with three distinct cones called Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira Kibo being the largest of the three and also having the mountains highest summit. Even though the huge volcano is located close to the equator, has lush tropicaland sub-tropical forests, savannahs and grasslands surrounding it, and receives up to 2000mm of rainfall per year, it is still capped with snow year round due to its enormous height of 5895m. After running tests on snow samples from the summit, it was determined that the base snow is over 11,000 years old. A major decrease in the amount of snow that caps Kilimanjaro has been witnessedsince 1912, it now carries an 80% lighter load than then, and is expected to be snow free by 2030. The two smaller volcanic cones are extinct, but Kibo, the largest, is only dormant and could erupt again in thefuture.
12
Islands of Maldives
Maldives, 3 15 N, 73 00 E
The Maldives, or the Republic of the Maldives, is a series of 26 natural Atolls (coral islands that surround a lagoon completely or partially) situated in the Indian Ocean, about 400km south-west of India. Each atoll consists of smaller islands and coral reefs and the Maldives 26 atolls form about 1130 smaller islands, of which only about 200 are inhabited. The Maldives are renownd for their diverse variety of colorful corals and is home to over 300 species of tropical fish. Seven new species of fish have been discovered fairly recently in the Maldives. Sadly, in 1998 the increase in water temperature brought on by El Nio, killed two thirds of the entirecoral population, but by 2004 methods using electrified, coral larvaattracting cones that speed up coral growth was discovered and the reefsare being rehabilitated.
13
Masurian Lake District
Poland, 5346N 2145E
The Masurian Lake District is found tothe north-east of Poland. It has over 2000 lakes spread across 52,000km2. Most of the lakes are interconnected by rivers forming a large, extensive system of waterways. The entire district was shaped by the Pleistocene Ice Age and is now a very popular tourist destination which offers fantastic boating opportunities, angling, cycling, hiking and canoeing, perfect for any nature lover. The entire area boasts 11 nature reserves with a wide variety of wild life. The area has a temperate climate with warm summers and cold winters, during which time the lakes freeze over.
Eternal_Knight 2011/12/17 12:17
14
The Matterhorn
Italy, Switzerland, 455835N 73930E
The Matterhorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Italy and Switzerland. The mountain forms one of the highest peaks in theAlps and it has four very steep sides, pointing in the directions of a compass, forming a pyramid at the summit. The Gargantuan Mountain towers over Zermatt village on the Swiss side and over Breuil Cervinia on the Italian side. The Matterhorn has inspired fear in climbers for years and was one of the last alpine mountains to be conquered. It was first ascended in July 1865 by seven climbers from the Swiss side, however two of the climbers plummeted to their deaths on the descend. Only three days later, the mountain was climbed again, by Jean-Antoine Carrel and Jean Baptiste Bich, who became the first to reach the summit from the Italian side.
15
Milford Sound
New Zealand, 444030S 1675546E
Milford Sound is a fjord/fiord (a long narrow inlet with steep sides) found on the south-west side of New Zealands Southern Island. It is also amarine reserve, a world heritage siteand one of the most popular tourist destinations in New Zealand. Milford Sound runs for 15km inland from Dale Point and is completely surrounded by high, steep rock faces and cliffs. Many of the cliffs and peaks surrounding the fiord have been named according to their appearance, for instance, The Elephant reaches 1517m in height and resembles a elephants head. Milford Sound is also the wettest inhabited area in New Zealand, causing lush forests to blanket the cliffs. The waters below are teeming with dolphins, penguins and seals with the occasional whale rearing itshead as well. There are two magnificent permanent waterfalls gushing down the cliffs, but when it rains, hundreds of temporary waterfalls form.
16
Mud Volcanoes
Azerbaijan, 400620N 492320E
Mud Volcanoes are basically formed when underground mud deposits areforced to the surface, expelling gasses and muddy liquid mixtures. Ofthe 700 known mud volcanoes around the world, over 400 can be found in Azerbaijan, along the countries Caspian coastline. All the mud volcanoes are fed by a giant underground mud lake. 86% of all the gas released by the pits is methane, which caused quite a stir in2001, when one of the pits started spewing fire up to 15m into the air. Itis estimated that every mud volcano should have at least one large eruption every 20 years and for the rest of the time they create nutritional mud baths, to which tourists flock.
14
The Matterhorn
Italy, Switzerland, 455835N 73930E
The Matterhorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Italy and Switzerland. The mountain forms one of the highest peaks in theAlps and it has four very steep sides, pointing in the directions of a compass, forming a pyramid at the summit. The Gargantuan Mountain towers over Zermatt village on the Swiss side and over Breuil Cervinia on the Italian side. The Matterhorn has inspired fear in climbers for years and was one of the last alpine mountains to be conquered. It was first ascended in July 1865 by seven climbers from the Swiss side, however two of the climbers plummeted to their deaths on the descend. Only three days later, the mountain was climbed again, by Jean-Antoine Carrel and Jean Baptiste Bich, who became the first to reach the summit from the Italian side.
15
Milford Sound
New Zealand, 444030S 1675546E
Milford Sound is a fjord/fiord (a long narrow inlet with steep sides) found on the south-west side of New Zealands Southern Island. It is also amarine reserve, a world heritage siteand one of the most popular tourist destinations in New Zealand. Milford Sound runs for 15km inland from Dale Point and is completely surrounded by high, steep rock faces and cliffs. Many of the cliffs and peaks surrounding the fiord have been named according to their appearance, for instance, The Elephant reaches 1517m in height and resembles a elephants head. Milford Sound is also the wettest inhabited area in New Zealand, causing lush forests to blanket the cliffs. The waters below are teeming with dolphins, penguins and seals with the occasional whale rearing itshead as well. There are two magnificent permanent waterfalls gushing down the cliffs, but when it rains, hundreds of temporary waterfalls form.
16
Mud Volcanoes
Azerbaijan, 400620N 492320E
Mud Volcanoes are basically formed when underground mud deposits areforced to the surface, expelling gasses and muddy liquid mixtures. Ofthe 700 known mud volcanoes around the world, over 400 can be found in Azerbaijan, along the countries Caspian coastline. All the mud volcanoes are fed by a giant underground mud lake. 86% of all the gas released by the pits is methane, which caused quite a stir in2001, when one of the pits started spewing fire up to 15m into the air. Itis estimated that every mud volcano should have at least one large eruption every 20 years and for the rest of the time they create nutritional mud baths, to which tourists flock.
Eternal_Knight 2011/12/17 12:25
17
Sandarbans
Bangladesh, India, 1100N 12240E
The Sundarbans form the largest saline mangroves in the world and the name translates to beautiful jungle or beautiful forest. The mangrove is formed by three convoluted rivers, called Padma, Brahmaputra and Meghna. The Sundarbans cover about 10,000km2, collectively with fresh water forests found more inland & saline tolerant mangroves closer to the coast. Thanks to the complicated, interconnected waterways, almost all parts of the mangrove is accessible by boat. The mangrove is home to crocodiles, deer, snakes, hundreds of varieties of birds and several endangered species, such as Bengal tigers, Ganges river dolphins, olive ridley turtles, hawksbill sea turtle and even the critically endangered Javan rhinoceros.
18
Uluru
Australia, 252042S 1310210E
Uluru is the name given to a huge sand stonerock formation, slightly south of central Australia. Uluru is a sacred site for the Aboriginal Australians, whose ancient rock art can be found in a variety of caves found in the sandstone mound. Ulurustands 348 meters above the ground and has a circumference of 9.4 km but the larger portion is buried beneath the ground. It is believed that Uluru is a small remnant of largemountain ranges that use to stand in the area. It also boasts several streams, springs and water holes, is apopular tourist attraction and takes about one hour to climb.
19
Vesuvius
Italy, 4049N 1426E
Mt. Vesuvius is a well-known volcanoin Italy, about 9km away from Naples. It is a large mountain that has only one cone that is surrounded by the rim of a caldera that collapsedinto the much larger original mountain which was called Monta Somma. Mt. Vesuvius has erupted about 30 times in the last 2000 yearswith the most notable eruption occurring in 79 AD, which is the eruption that famously swallowed Pompeii, a town near Naples, burying it beneath 4-6m of ash and pumice. After the towns rediscovery and excavation since 1794, it has become a very popular tourist attraction and is considered a world heritage site. Vesuvius last eruption was in 1944, but none of the eruptions following 79AD has been quite as destructive. Today the area around the mountain is considered a national park and millions of touristsflock up the mountain every year to look into the crater.
17
Sandarbans
Bangladesh, India, 1100N 12240E
The Sundarbans form the largest saline mangroves in the world and the name translates to beautiful jungle or beautiful forest. The mangrove is formed by three convoluted rivers, called Padma, Brahmaputra and Meghna. The Sundarbans cover about 10,000km2, collectively with fresh water forests found more inland & saline tolerant mangroves closer to the coast. Thanks to the complicated, interconnected waterways, almost all parts of the mangrove is accessible by boat. The mangrove is home to crocodiles, deer, snakes, hundreds of varieties of birds and several endangered species, such as Bengal tigers, Ganges river dolphins, olive ridley turtles, hawksbill sea turtle and even the critically endangered Javan rhinoceros.
18
Uluru
Australia, 252042S 1310210E
Uluru is the name given to a huge sand stonerock formation, slightly south of central Australia. Uluru is a sacred site for the Aboriginal Australians, whose ancient rock art can be found in a variety of caves found in the sandstone mound. Ulurustands 348 meters above the ground and has a circumference of 9.4 km but the larger portion is buried beneath the ground. It is believed that Uluru is a small remnant of largemountain ranges that use to stand in the area. It also boasts several streams, springs and water holes, is apopular tourist attraction and takes about one hour to climb.
19
Vesuvius
Italy, 4049N 1426E
Mt. Vesuvius is a well-known volcanoin Italy, about 9km away from Naples. It is a large mountain that has only one cone that is surrounded by the rim of a caldera that collapsedinto the much larger original mountain which was called Monta Somma. Mt. Vesuvius has erupted about 30 times in the last 2000 yearswith the most notable eruption occurring in 79 AD, which is the eruption that famously swallowed Pompeii, a town near Naples, burying it beneath 4-6m of ash and pumice. After the towns rediscovery and excavation since 1794, it has become a very popular tourist attraction and is considered a world heritage site. Vesuvius last eruption was in 1944, but none of the eruptions following 79AD has been quite as destructive. Today the area around the mountain is considered a national park and millions of touristsflock up the mountain every year to look into the crater.
Eternal_Knight 2011/12/17 12:30
20
Yushan
Taiwan, 232812N 1205726.16E
Yushan or Jade Mountain is the highest point of the Yushan mountain range and also the highestmountain in South East Asia. The summit of the mountain stands 3952 meters above sea level and continues about 4000m below sea level, to the ocean floor. During the winter the mountain is covered in frost, looking mush like smooth uncut jade, hence the name. During the summer, lush conifers cover the base of the mountain. Because the area has a high climate range, there are about 140 species of bird, 28 species of mammal, 17 species of reptile, and over 186 kinds of butterflies living on the mountain and the surrounding Yushan nationalpark.
This is the image of mt vesuvias i made some mistake der sorry
20
Yushan
Taiwan, 232812N 1205726.16E
Yushan or Jade Mountain is the highest point of the Yushan mountain range and also the highestmountain in South East Asia. The summit of the mountain stands 3952 meters above sea level and continues about 4000m below sea level, to the ocean floor. During the winter the mountain is covered in frost, looking mush like smooth uncut jade, hence the name. During the summer, lush conifers cover the base of the mountain. Because the area has a high climate range, there are about 140 species of bird, 28 species of mammal, 17 species of reptile, and over 186 kinds of butterflies living on the mountain and the surrounding Yushan nationalpark.
This is the image of mt vesuvias i made some mistake der sorry
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Thanks for the share.
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