The list concerning the wonders of the natural world was drawn up by the same organization that called web users to vote for the wonders of the modern world (the NOWC); so in November 2011 the official list came to life.
There have also been many discussions and many criticisms about the choice of these magical natural places. There were 440 natural sites “competing”, and among the 28 finalists there were names such as the Grand Canyonin the United States and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, of great beauty and global significance; the protests arose when, shown the world the list of winners, places that everyone thought had a safe place on this prestigious list were replaced by others, perhaps less known. In fact, the list does not include the Great Barrier Reef, a pearl of Oceania, nor the Grand Canyon and the Dead Sea in Israel, natural landscapes of great value.
So much bitterness also on the part of Europeans who do not see any of their majestic landscapes, mountains or natural areas present among the 7 wonders; even the Italians, who crossed their fingers for Vesuviusand Monte Cervino present among the 28, were disappointed by the exclusion. But let’s see which are the places that have been awarded the honor of being among the 7 Wonders of the Natural World .
Ha Long Bay – Vietnam
We are in Vietnam, precisely “Where the Dragon descends into the sea”: this is the meaning of Ha Long, an inlet in the Gulf of Tonkin , with over 3,000 limestone islands full of karst caves. Of these, only two major islands are inhabited and host tourist facilities: Tuan Chau and Cat Bat. The other islets are completely uncontaminated and covered by dense and luxuriant vegetation typical of the area; in some of them, the caves of karst origin are accessiblewhich contain numerous stalactites and stalagmites, as well as many graffiti dating back probably to the 19th century. The inhabitants of these pristine oases, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, are antelopes, iguanas and monkeys.
– Curiosity : legend has it that Ha Long was formed during a battle between the Vietnamese and the Chinese invaders: the gods sent dragons to their aid, who created this sort of wall by spitting enormous jewels from their mouths, which are today the islets that make up the bay.
Komodo Island – Indonesia This Indonesian
island is located in the Flores Sea, has a coastline of about 160 km and is very particular because in its hinterland there are hills about 800 m above sea level. Its vegetation, once made up of a typical equatorial forest, is now full of large palm trees. It is the fauna of this enchanting island that attracts thousands of tourists every year; in fact in Komodo it is possible to admire the largest living lizards in the world : the Komodo monitor lizards, which take their name from the island.
Le Table Mountain – South Africa
Dominates Cape Town in South Africa this imposing flat-topped mountain shaped by over six million years of erosion. It houses more than 1,500 species of plants, trees and shrubs typical of the Mediterranean scrub. The typical fauna consists of small animals similar to rodents: the hyraxes of the Cape, which fearlessly frequent the areas where tourists walk.
– Curiosity : it is the only natural site in the world to have given its name to a constellation: it is the Mensa , which means table, a constellation discovered in the eighteenth century by the French astronomer Nicolas de Lacaille , in the south celestial pole, south of Orion.
Amazon rainforest – Amazonia
Photo by lubasiIt covers 9 countries in South America with an area of ​​almost 4,500 square km; and the largest tropical forest in the worldand represents about half of the remaining rainforests in the world. The Amazon forest is home to the Amazon River , the largest river in the world by volume, and has become part of the 7 wonders of the natural world probably because it hosts the largest number of animal and plant species in the world; a truly vast and unique biodiversity.
Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tunnels – South Korea
We are in the sea bordering South Korea where an island of very particular volcanic origin attracts thousands of tourists every year. About 300 volcanoes live on the island of Jeju , now extinct; these have contributed to the formation of lava tunnels over time , which today appear as real caves.
SEE ALSO : THE 10 MOST DANGEROUS VOLCANOES IN THE WORLD
The main attraction of the island is Hallasan, an extinct volcano almost 2,000 m high; It is the highest mountain in South Korea and on its peak there is a lake of volcanic origin .
Iguazu Falls – Argentina / Brazil
On the border between Argentina and Brazil there is a splendid system of about 275 waterfalls up to 70 meters high, which originate from the Iguazu river of the same name and continue for about three kilometers on the same water course. The feature that has allowed this enchanting place to be among the wonders of the natural world is a U-shaped gorge that takes the name of “Garganta del Diablo”, literally ” Devil’s Throat ““; it is 150 meters deep and 700 long and marks the border between the two South American regions. It occupies most of the Argentine territory, even if the Brazilians say that” from their side “the show is better.
SEE ALSO : THE 10 MOST BEAUTIFUL WATERFALLS OF THE WORLD
– Curiosity : according to a legend, the formation of this particular system of waterfalls has divine origins. In fact, a God had fallen in love with a splendid girl, Naipu, and was pretending to marry her. However, the woman was in love with Caroba, mortal enemy of the God. The two lovers fled in a canoe, and the God, to avoid their escape, transformed the morphology of the river into waterfalls. Naipu fell into it and turned into rock, while Caroba turned into a tree. The two lovers, even today, continue to look at each other from a distance, but the anathema of the God will prevent him from ever uniting.
Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park – Philippines
Photo by Micah Noel Perpetua The park is located in the Philippines and is characterized by a very particular karst environment; the charm of this natural area is due to an underground rivernavigable for about 5 km of its length. The watercourse flows into the South China Sea, crossing a system of karst caves rich in stalactites and stalagmites, which leaves you speechless for the singularity of the excursion.
The other finalists
The other wonders that reached the final but excluded from the “magnificent 7” are listed below.
- Kilimanjaro , Tanzania
- Baia in Fundy , Canada
- El Yunque , Porto Rico
- Galapagos, Ecuador
- Grand Canyon , United States
- Angel Falls , Venezuela
- Jeita Grotto , Lebanon
- Maldives Islands , Maldives
- Bu Tinah Islands , United Arab Emirates
- Dead Sea , Israel and Jordan
- Sundarbans, Bangladesh e India
- Volcanoes of Lodo , ​​Azerbaijan
- Yushan , Taiwan
- Black Forest , Germany
- Masurian Lake District , Poloni
- Monte Cervino , Switzerland and Italy
- Cliffs of Moher , Ireland
- Vesuvius , Italy
- Milfiord in Fiordland National Park , New Zealand
- Great Barrier Reef , Australia and Papua New Guinea
- Uluru, Australia
