Natural wonders of the world

When thinking of some of the most impressive natural landscapes in the world, it is impossible not to think of Mount Everest. Mount Everest is known as the tallest peak on Earth and measures 8,848.86 meters tall. Generally, people think of it as the tallest mountain in the world, but that isn’t quite accurate. Mauna Kea, in Hawaii, is actually a taller mountain, but much of it is underwater, and thus it does not have the tallest peak ‘above sea level.’ This is why Everest is generally considered to be the overall tallest, as it is much easier to see and comprehend the sheer size of the mountain and its summit.

Another one of the natural wonders of the world is Parícutin. It is a cinder cone volcano which can be found in Michoacán, Mexico. The cone has only really existed as it is since 1943, when it surged up out of the ground in a relatively flat corn field, making it the youngest volcano in the Northern Hemisphere. At the time that it surged, it also erupted, and continued to erupt over a period of 9 years. Now, the volcano is considered to be dormant, and is popular as a tourist attraction. Visitors are able to climb the volcanic peak and view the hardened lava flows, including encased ruins of the San Juan Parangaricutiro Church.

The Grand Canyon is a striking canyon located in Arizona, United States. The canyon was formed by the natural erosion of rock and soil by the Colorado River, over the period of billions of years. The canyon is stunning not only for its deep rust-red colours, and the visible layers of rock and sediment that can be seen throughout its cliff walls, but mainly it is impressive for its size and depth.

The Grand Canyon is aptly named, as it measures some 446 kilometers in length, up to 29 kilometers wide at its widest point, and a whopping 1.8 kilometers deep. The magnitude of the canyon is awe inspiring, but the age is also astounding, as the phenomenon reveals millions of years of geological history. Many visitors choose simply to gaze at the sight, but it is also possible to hike along the top of the canyon cliff, in the ravine, or raft and boat in the river below.

Victoria Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world because it is considered the largest waterfall in the world. It is important to note that it is ‘largest’, as these falls are not the tallest nor are they the widest falls on earth, however their combined height and width (1,708 meters wide by 108 meters in height) make them larger than any other set of falls - they have the largest sheet of falling water of anywhere on Earth (especially during the wet rainy season). 

The Harbor of Rio de Janeiro can be found in the southeast of Brazil. Also known as Guanabara Bay, it is the world’s largest natural bay, based on volume, and that is why it is classified as one of the seven Natural Wonders of the world. The bay is a huge expanse of water, which is surrounded by granite rock formations and monoliths which add to the striking visual appeal of the area.

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world. It is made up of 2,900 smaller reef sections and 900 islands which together make up some 2,300 kilometers of reef across 344,400 square kilometres of ocean. These reefs, or reef system, is located in the fittingly named Coral Sea, which is off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

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