The 7 Natural Wonders Of The World
In 2011, after an initiative by a Swiss businessman, the natural wonders of the world were chosen. The contest was held in different phases, which yielded 30 semifinalists. Of these, seven were voted on by the citizens of the world. Find out what they are in this article.
The natural wonders of the world and its beauty
Four of the seven natural wonders of the world are found in Asia, two in South America and one in Africa. In South America the natural wonders are in two countries; the rest of them, only one per nation. These are the winners:
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waterfalls of Iguaçu
Located on the border between Argentina and Brazil, and protected in national parks; the waterfalls are a set of 275 falls with great flow and a maximum height of 80 meters (the famous ‘devil’s throat’).
The Iguaçu Falls – the photo that opens this article – is home to 450 species of birds, hundreds of insects, 80 species of mammals and dozens of reptiles. Among the main inhabitants we can find alligators, toucans, jaguars, butterflies, anteaters, eagles, herons and ocelots.
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table mountain
It is located in South Africa, specifically Cape Town, and is nothing less than a mountain with an ‘elongated’ shape at the top – hence the name ‘Table’ – chosen as the local insignia.
Table Mountain, or Table Mountain, in addition to being one of the natural wonders of the world, is one of the most outstanding tourist attractions in the region. Visitors ascend to the top by cable car or on excursions. The most common animal here is the dassie (a mammal); although we can also find mongooses, turtles, porcupines and snakes.
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Amazon
This is the second of the natural wonders of South America, belonging to nine countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. It is the largest forest in the world and one of the regions with the greatest biodiversity on the planet.
The Amazon fauna is made up of monkeys, jaguars, pumas, tapirs, deer, pink dolphins, anacondas, turtles, crocodiles, alligators, harpies, macaws, toucans, poisonous frogs and leaf-cutting ants.
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Ha-Long Bay
It is a 1500 km² stretch of water north of Vietnam; in the middle of Southeast Asia. It stands out for its karst elements and for the large number of islands of different sizes and shapes. Ha Long means “descending dragon” in the local language, as legends speak of a fight between dragons to save people from Chinese attack.
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Jeju Province
It is an island in South Korea, the largest in the country; and throughout history it has received different names. It is dominated by Mount Halla, a volcano almost 2,000 meters high. Among its mountain and rainforest ecosystems, we can find several native and exotic species; like the pink fish.
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Komodo National Park
This is another one of the natural wonders of the world that is located in Asia, in the Indonesia archipelago, to be precise. The park consists of three islands: Komodo, Pasar and Rinca, all of volcanic origin.
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Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park
On the island of Palawan in the Philippines is the last of the world’s natural wonders. It is a park of limestone rocks with underground rivers that flow into the sea. It is, in turn; one of the most important jungles in Asia.
The Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park covers over 5700 hectares and is home to eleven different ecosystems. The fauna is made up of badgers, civets, otters, pheasants, pandas and foxes.
