Sunrise in the valley of Viñales/Cuba. The relief was mainly formed by the interaction of several geological processes related to the erosion-denudation of the rock and the ascending tectonic movements. Photo: Deny Extremera/ Cubadebate.
Our planet is filled with natural wonders, from ancient lakes to incredible rock formations. In this photo gallery we feature different places and landscapes that show that the earth deserves a day to raise awareness of the importance of preserving natural spaces given the environmental pressures they are subjected to.
International Mother Earth Day was proclaimed by the United Nations. The organization sees it as “an opportunity to reflect on how we’ve treated the planet.”
The date aims to raise awareness of the problems posed by overpopulation, pollution, deforestation, intensive agriculture and ranching, or the increasing illegal wildlife trade that can accelerate the planet’s rate of destruction.
Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Photo: National Geographic.
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, spanning 2,600 kilometers and visible from space. It consists of 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands spread over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometers.
It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981. However, this site is in serious danger as it has declined by 50% in the last 30 years. This fact has been caused by environmental threats such as polluted water and the effects of climate change such as rising temperatures, storms and coral bleaching.
Cappadocia, Turkey
Cappadocia is a semi-arid area located in the historical region of Central Anatolia. Photo: National Geographic.
Cappadocia is a semi-arid area located in the historical region of Central Anatolia, known for its special “fairy chimneys”, geological formations unique in the world for their historical and cultural heritage.
This place was added to the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1985. Since then, it has become one of the country’s most attractive tourist attractions, although this type of activity has generated negative impacts and a long-term threat to the region.
Uyuni Salt Flats, Bolivia
With an area of almost 11,000 square kilometers and an altitude of 3,700 meters, the Salar de Uyuni, in the middle of the Andes, is the largest salt flat in the world. Photo: National Geographic.
With an area of almost 11,000 square kilometers and an altitude of 3,700 meters, the Salar de Uyuni, in the middle of the Andes, is the largest salt flat in the world. It was formed by the conversion of several prehistoric lakes that dried up leaving this desert landscape.
This place is also one of the most important lithium reserves in the world and its extraction causes great environmental impact due to the use of large amounts of chemicals and acids that cause enormous damage to water resources, soil and air.
Deadvlei, Namibia
Surrounded by the world’s tallest sand dunes, Deadvlei was formed after the Tsauchab River flooded the area and formed a clay-salt flat. Photo: National Geographic.
Deadvlei is a dry white clay lake near the most famous Sossusvlei salt pan in the Namib-Naukluft Park, Africa’s largest nature reserve. Surrounded by the world’s highest sand dunes, Deadvlei was formed after the Tsauchab River flooded the area and formed a clay salt plain. Climate change completely transformed the area, creating one of the driest areas on the planet, wiping out much of the vegetation, far from decomposing but petrifying as a silhouette of what it once was.
Vinales Valley
“Viñales is not only this wonderful landscape that enchants everyone who visits it. This landscape has a geological history, it was shaped by specific geological processes and contains important values of geological heritage,” says geologist Manuel Vázquez Torres. Photo: Deny Extremera/ Cubadebate.
It is located in the province of Pinar del Río, the westernmost area of Cuba, in the Sierra de los Órganos, precisely in the mountain range of the Cordillera de Guaniguanico. This valley and a large part of the mountain range surrounding it were recognized as a national park in 1999 and in December of the same year were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the cultural landscape category. It also has the status of a national monument, which it received by resolution on March 27, 1979.
Iguazú Falls, Argentina and Brazil
The Iguazú Falls are a series of waterfalls on the border of Argentina and Brazil. Photo: National Geographic.
The Iguazú Falls are a series of waterfalls on the border of Argentina and Brazil. Covering an area of 67,720 hectares, these falls resemble an elongated horseshoe that stretches about 1.7 miles, is almost three times the width of Niagara Falls, and is significantly larger than the width of Victoria Falls.
They were included in the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1984 the Iguazú river basin or the collapse of the dams that have left a high level of pollution in the water.
Bryce Canyon National Park, USA
Thanks to the absence of light pollution, more than 7,500 stars can be seen with the naked eye. Photo: National Geographic.
With an area of 145 square kilometers and an average elevation of 2,600 meters above sea level, Bryce Canyon National Park is a large reserve in southern Utah and is known for the “hoodoos”, reddish rock formations shaped like fairy chimneys.
Thanks to the lack of light pollution, more than 7,500 stars can be seen with the naked eye, but nearby power plants and mines can damage the park’s natural resources such as vegetation or surface water.
The Big Stone, Cuba
Photo: Blog Radars looking south.
La Gran Piedra and its surroundings present an inviting landscape of lush vegetation where ferns, eucalyptus, orchids, pines and butterfly flowers predominate. The elevation, 14 kilometers from Santiago de Cuba, is about 50 meters long, 25 meters high and 30 meters wide. Some researchers claim that it owes its origin to the impact of a meteorite millions of years ago in the Eastern Territory, while the most authoritative opinions point to it owing its formation to the layer of an underwater volcano.
Its weight is estimated at 63,000 tons and it is more than 1,200 meters above sea level, making it a natural viewpoint of the Sierra Maestra, the city of Santiago and the Baconao Park.
Valley of the Ten Peaks, Canada
This location and other lakes in the country are facing serious problems due to pollution, climate change and industrial activity in Canadian watersheds. Photo: National Geographic.
The Valley of the Ten Peaks is a valley in Banff National Park in Alberta. The place got its name because of the ten high peaks that surround it, which are over 3,000 meters high. Surrounding these mountains is Moraine Lake, which has a total area of half a square kilometer and is fed by a glacier.
According to WWF Canada, this location and other lakes in the country are facing serious problems due to pollution, climate change and industrial activity in Canada’s watersheds.
Zhangye Danxia, China
Covering an area of 520 square kilometers, it became a geological park in 2011 and is known for its colorful rock formations. Photo: National Geographic.
Zhangye Danxia National Park is located in Sunan and Linze counties within Zhangye city in China. Covering an area of 520 square kilometers, it became a geological park in 2011 and is known for its colorful rock formations, voted one of the most beautiful landscapes in the country by the Chinese media.
The area has become one of the main tourist areas and a number of walkways and access roads have been built to help visitors explore the rock formations, causing a huge environmental impact.
Atacama Desert, Chile
The Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar desert on earth. Photo: National Geographic.
The Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar desert on earth. Bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Andes on the east, it is nearly 1,000 miles long and 110 miles wide.
Despite being one of the driest places on earth, thousands of years ago it was home to numerous oases and ecosystems that disappeared due to climate change. The overexploitation of its water resources as well as current environmental phenomena threaten the stability of the area.
Pamukkale, Turkey
Its origin is due to the tectonic movements that took place in the basin of the Menderes river basin, which caused the emergence of numerous springs of thermal water. Photo: National Geographic.
Pamukkale is a natural area in southwestern Turkey that has become a famous tourist attraction. Its origin is due to the tectonic movements that took place in the basin of the Menderes river basin, which caused the emergence of numerous springs of thermal water.
Since 1988 it has been declared a World Heritage Site and this fact led to the destruction of the hotels and roads in the area as the tourists caused great environmental damage such as the erosion of the area and the pollution of the water.
Gate to Hell, Turkmenistan
It was estimated that it would be out in a matter of days, but it has been burning for half a century and has now become a tourist attraction. Photo: National Geographic.
The Darvaza Well, better known as the Gate of Hell, is an ancient gas exploration site in the Karakum Desert. This well, with a diameter of 69 meters, a depth of 30 meters and a temperature of more than 400º, was created after an accident 50 years ago during works on the site. Soviet geologists discovered an underground cavern filled with natural gas, and fearing that dangerous natural gases could escape from the crater, the team decided to set it on fire. It was estimated that it would be out in a matter of days, but it has been burning for half a century and has now become a tourist attraction.
Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
It is an area of around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed by the rapid cooling of lava in a crater 60 million years ago. Photo: National Geographic.
Located on the north east coast of the island of Ireland, Giant’s Causeway is an area of around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed by the rapid cooling of lava in a crater 60 million years ago.
In 1986 it was declared a World Heritage Site and a year later a national nature reserve. Nonetheless, Northern Ireland’s biggest attraction could fall victim to climate change as the province is threatened by rising water levels and coastal erosion.
(With information from National Geographic and the United Nations)