At CulturalWorld, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.
What are the Seven Natural Wonders of the Modern World?
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth
Probably in response to the seven wonders of the ancient world, and perhaps also to the American Society of Civil Engineers seven wonders of the modern world, several lists naming the seven natural wonders of the modern world have been created. The following list is typical, if not authoritative:
| SEVEN NATURAL WONDERS OF THE MODERN WORLD | ||
|---|---|---|
| Natural Wonder | Location | Description |
| Grand Canyon | Arizona, USA | This huge canyon was created by millions of years of erosion and established as a US national park in 1919. |
| Northern Lights | The sky | Also called the aurora borealis, the northern lights are caused by the interaction of Earth’s magnetic field with the particles in the solar wind. |
| Mt. Everest | The Himalayan Range, bordering Nepal and China | The first recorded climb was achieved by Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay on 29 May 1953. |
| Paricutin | Mexico | This young volcano, which was “born” in 1943, was — unlike most other volcanoes — observed in the making. |
| Harbor at Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | The harbor, punctuated by mountains, was home to Tupi Indians before the arrival of Portuguese explorers in 1502. |
| Victoria Falls | Border between Zambia and Zimbabwe | Named for his queen by Scottish missionary David Livingstone in 1855, the falls are 1.25 miles (2 km) wide. |
| Great Barrier Reef | Australia | This coral reef is 1,242 miles (2,000 km) long, threatened by pollution and host to a wide variety of ocean life. |
Other contenders for the list mentioned in other sources include the following — notice how many are falls and mountains:
- Natural Bridge, a rock formation in Rockbridge Country, Virginia.
- Table Mountain, a 3,567 ft (1,087 m) flat-topped mountain in Cape Town, South Africa.
- Reelfoot Lake, in Tennessee, which was apparently created by the New Madrid earthquakes in 1811-12.
- Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the US, formed by a volcanic crater in the Cascade Range in Oregon.
- Yosemite Falls, a series of waterfalls in Yosemite National Park in California.
- Mauna Loa, an active volcano 13,680 ft (4.172 m) tall in Hawaii.
- Niagara Falls, the 158 ft (48 m) falls between New York and Canada.
- Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall, located in in Venezuela.
- The Bay of Fundy, between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Canada, and which is noted for its tides.
- Iguassu Falls, a group of hundreds of waterfalls on the Brazil/Argentina border.
- Krakatoa Island, the volcanic island in Indonesia where a huge volcanic explosion in 1883 and the following tsunami were responsible for many deaths.
- Mount Fuji, a volcanic mountain that is the highest in Japan at 12,389 (3776 m).
- Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain of Africa, located in Tanzania and reaching 17,564 ft (5,354 m).
There are also more localized lists, including the traditional seven wonders of Wales named in the nursery rhyme:
Snowdon's mountain without its people,
Overton Yew-trees, St. Winifred wells,
Llangollen Bridge and Gresford bells
Obviously, the steeple, wells, bridge, and bells were made by humans, but the 240 ft (74 m) waterfall Pistyll Rhaeadr, Mt. Snowdon in Snowdonia National Park in Northwest Wales, and the 21 famous yew trees in the churchyard of St. Mary’s Church in Overton are all natural wonders of the modern world.
Another take-off is the extended list. There are several “100 wonders of the world” lists on the Internet, and nearly all feature a combination of built and natural modern wonders.
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth is passionate about reading, writing, and research, and has a penchant for correcting misinformation on the Internet. In addition to contributing articles to CulturalWorld about art, literature, and music, Mary Elizabeth is a teacher, composer, and author. She has a B.A. from the University of Chicago’s writing program and an M.A. from the University of Vermont, and she has written books, study guides, and teacher materials on language and literature, as well as music composition content for Sibelius Software.
Learn more...
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth is passionate about reading, writing, and research, and has a penchant for correcting misinformation on the Internet. In addition to contributing articles to CulturalWorld about art, literature, and music, Mary Elizabeth is a teacher, composer, and author. She has a B.A. from the University of Chicago’s writing program and an M.A. from the University of Vermont, and she has written books, study guides, and teacher materials on language and literature, as well as music composition content for Sibelius Software.
Learn more...AS FEATURED ON:
AS FEATURED ON:
-
![Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world.]()
By: Göran (Kartläsarn)Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world. -
![Niagara Falls is sometimes mentioned as an alternative to the Seven Natural Wonders of the Modern World.]()
By: karlsson_photoNiagara Falls is sometimes mentioned as an alternative to the Seven Natural Wonders of the Modern World. -
![The Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the Modern World.]()
By: sumikophotoThe Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the Modern World. -
![Huge volcanic explosions happened at Krakatoa Island, which is located in Indonesia.]()
By: nicolasdumeigeHuge volcanic explosions happened at Krakatoa Island, which is located in Indonesia. -
![Some sources list Crater Lake in Oregon as a contender for the Natural Wonders of the Modern World list.]()
By: Chris BoswellSome sources list Crater Lake in Oregon as a contender for the Natural Wonders of the Modern World list. -
![Australia's Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world.]()
By: StrangerViewAustralia's Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world. -
![The northern lights are caused by the interaction between the Earth's magnetic field and solar winds.]()
By: BeelixThe northern lights are caused by the interaction between the Earth's magnetic field and solar winds.
Discussion Comments
I want to say the Amazon rainforest is also a wonder of the world. The Amazon Rainforest covers 5,500,000 sq km of the 7 million sq km of the Amazon forests. It represents more than half of the tropical forest remaining in the world, and has the greatest collection of plant and animal life. It covers the majority of the Amazon Basin and the high temperatures of the area are favorable for its biodiversity.
@momothree: The walls of the Grand Canyon are made up of cliffs, rocks, valleys, and hills. The rocks are said to have been formed millions of years ago.
Almost 4000 years ago, desert people lived in the Grand Canyon. Adobe houses were built around the canyon by the Pueblo Indians. There are around 75 different species of mammals, 25 species of fish, 300 species of birds, and 50 species of reptiles that habitat the Grand Canyon.
@momothree: You are making a great choice in your vacation plans! The Grand Canyon is one of the magnificent places in our whole country.
The Grand Canyon is located in Arizona and stretches all the way to Colorado. It is a national landmark and a national park. It is 18 miles wide. An average depth of the canyon is around 5,000 feet. The Grand Canyon takes up a whopping 1,218,376 acres of land. To go down to the bottle of the canyon on foot or by camel (they have guided camel tours), it would take 2 days.
We are going to be visiting the Grand Canyon in a couple of months. I am so excited to be able to see such a spectacular place. I am trying to find out as much as I can before we go. Does anyone have any info on the Grand Canyon that I might could use?
Post your comments