List of rock formations

Summary

A rock formation is an isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrop. Rock formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock. The term rock formation can also refer to specific sedimentary strata or other rock unit in stratigraphic and petrologic studies.

Rocks formations and the Dedo de Deus (God's Finger) peak in the background, Serra dos Órgãos National Park, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil
Raouché or Pigeons' Rock in Beirut, Lebanon
Druid Arch, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, US
View of Meteora, Greece
Rock formations in Ongamira Valley, Sierras de Córdoba, Argentina
Belogradchik Rocks, Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria
"Jaws", an erosional fin in Little Finland, Nevada, US
"Hajdučka vrata" on Čvrsnica, Herzegovina
Paklenica, Croatia
Devil's Town, Serbia
Three Sisters in Blue Mountains, Australia

A rock structure can be created in any rock type or combination:

  • Igneous rocks are created when molten rock cools and solidifies, with or without crystallisation. They may be either plutonic bodies or volcanic extrusive. Again, erosive forces sculpt their current forms.
  • Metamorphic rocks are created by rocks that have been transformed into another kind of rock, usually by some combination of heat, pressure, and chemical alteration.
  • Sedimentary rocks are created by a variety of processes but usually involving deposition, grain by grain, layer by layer, in water or, in the case of terrestrial sediments, on land through the action of wind or sometimes moving ice. Erosion later exposes them in their current form.

Geologists have created a number of terms to describe different rock structures in the landscape that can be formed by natural processes:

Here is a list of rock formations by continent.

Asia edit

Armenia edit

China edit

Hong Kong edit

Jordan edit

India edit

Israel edit

Lebanon edit

Mongolia edit

Pakistan edit

Thailand edit

Turkey edit

Other countries edit

Africa edit

Kenya edit

Libya edit

Madagascar edit

Mauritania edit

Namibia edit

Nigeria edit

South Africa edit

North America edit

United States edit

Canada edit

Caribbean edit

Mexico edit

Central America edit

  • Bosque del Cabo, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
  • Los Ladrillos, Boquete, Panama[2]

South America edit

Argentina edit

Bolivia edit

  • Dali's Desert, Potosi
  • Valle de Las Rocas, Uyuni
  • Canon de Duene

Brazil edit

Chile edit

Colombia edit

Ecuador edit

Falkland Islands edit

Paraguay edit

Peru edit

Uruguay edit

  • La Piedra Pintada, Parque Congreso de Abril

Venezuela edit

Europe edit

Albania edit

Bosnia and Herzegovina edit

Bulgaria edit

 
A view of the Wonderful Bridges, Bulgaria

Croatia edit

 
Paklenica, Croatia

Czech Republic edit

  • Teplice nad Metují
  • Medvědí Stezka (Bear's path), Šumava mountains, Klatovy
  • Vraní skála, Brdy
  • Suché skály, Turnov
  • Hruboskalsko

Denmark edit

Estonia edit

Finland edit

France edit

Georgia edit

 
Lange Anna

Germany edit

 
Meteora with Greek Orthodox monasteries

Greece edit

Gibraltar edit

 
The iconic Rock of Gibraltar

Bailiwick of Guernsey edit

Iceland edit

Ireland edit

Italy edit

 
Pietra di Bismantova, Italy

Latvia edit

  • Vidzeme
  • Pusena Kalns, Bartava

North Macedonia edit

Malta edit

Isle of Man edit

Norway edit

Poland edit

Portugal edit

Romania edit

 
The collapsed Bride's Cave (Salt Mountain) from Slănic, Romania

Russia edit

 
Kigilyakhs in the Ulakhan-Sis Range.

Serbia edit

 
Vratna Gates natural stone bridges in Serbia

Spain edit

Sweden edit

Switzerland edit

Slovakia edit

 
Gotická brána, Sulov rocks, Slovakia

Ukraine edit

United Kingdom edit

Oceania edit

 
Talava arches, Niue

Australia edit

 
Uluru, Australia

New Zealand edit

 
Castle Hill, New Zealand

Other countries edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Olumo Rock - A Nigerian Tourist Destination". www.olumorock.com. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  2. ^ "Escalando el Gunko de Boquete" (in Spanish). El Chiricano. 2007-06-04.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Stânca Babacai (de aici incepe Clisura de sus)". wikimapia.org. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  4. ^ "Красноярские Столбы". www.stolby.ru. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  5. ^ The Djavolja Varos (Devil's Town) Natural Landmark, UNESCO World Heritage
  6. ^ "Vodopad Prskalo" (in Serbian). FreeBiking.org.

External links edit

  •   Media related to Rock formations at Wikimedia Commons
  •   The dictionary definition of formation at Wiktionary