Seven Natural Wonders of the World
Our Earth is full of marvels carved out by nature. Gigantic mountains, breathtakingly
beautiful waterfalls, fiery volcanoes, mysterious forests and many more beauties like that.
But some stand out among the rest. You might be wondering why only seven…why not five
or ten. It’s because ancient Greek associated number seven with perfection! The top seven
natural wonders of the world are listed below:
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a massive gorge located in the state of Arizona in the United States, and
was created by the Colorado River. Although not the steepest nor the longest canyon in the
world, the Grand Canyon is recognized as a natural wonder because of the overall scale and
size combined with the beautifully colored landscape. The canyon offers a variety of lookouts
and experiences that provide visitors with a view that cannot be matched.



The canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long
The width ranges from 4 to 18 miles (6.4 to 29 km)
The depth is over one mile (1.83 km)
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest individual formation created by living
organisms. As the largest coral reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef includes over 900
islands and over 2,900 separate reefs. The Great Barrier Reef is possible the grandest
natural wonder in the world and is the only wonder of nature that may be visible
recognized from outer space. The reef stretches 2,600 km along the north eastern coast of
Australia and it covers over 344,000 sq km.
Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall in the world. It is 108 metres high and 1.7 km wide.
This recognition comes from combining the height and width together to create the
largest single sheet of flowing water. Victoria Falls is located on the border between
Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls are also close to the border of Botswana. The Zambezi
River, which originates in northern Zambia, serves as the fall's water source. It is also
called Mosi-oa-Tunya meaning “smoke that thunders.”
The Aurora: Northern Lights
The auroras, also known as the Northern Lights, are naturally occurring lights that create
intriguing and spectacular displays in the sky. It is a natural display of bright red, green and
blue lights in the sky. They are usually associated with winter nights when it is the darkest.
The aurora lights frequently appear as diffused glow lighting up the horizon. The most
amazing sight is when the northern lights appears as waves across the sky; it is almost as if
the lights are dancing.




Also known as polar auroras
The northern lights are the most notable, but a southern aurora does occur in the
southern hemisphere
No specific or consistent measurements
Appear as glowing sheets or dancing waves
Paricutin Volcano
Paricutin is a cinder cone volcano in Michoacán, Mexico. Paricutin was named one of
the seven natural wonders as an active volcano. The volcano has been dormant since the
last eruption in 1952. It was established as a natural wonder because mankind witnessed
its birth. On February 20, 1943, a farmer, Dionisio Pulido and his wife Paula, from
Paricutin noticed a small crack in the ground forming in a cornfield. Shortly after this,
smoke and ash began emitting from the crack as well as a foul rotten egg smell. By the
following day the beginnings of a small volcano could be seen in the field. The volcano
grew to its full height in less than ten years from the time of its birth.
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world with the summit reaching a peak of
29,029 feet (8,848 m). It is located in the Himalayan mountain range on the border
between Nepal and Tibet, China. Mount Everest represents the highest spot on earth. The
best way to experience Mount Everest is by making the trek to the base of the mountain.
For more experienced individual climbers, a climb to the upper base camp. But this
experience is costly; the Nepal government now requires potential climbers to purchase a
$25,000USD climbing permit.
Harbor of Rio de Janerio
Rio de Janeiro Harbour, founded on January 1st, 1502, is considered one of the most
beautiful natural harbours in the world. People admired the geology so much that they
said, “God made the world in six days and on the seventh, he concentrated on Rio.”
People often comment that the climate is wonderful and the beaches are free to everyone.
Rio de Janeiro Harbour is located in Brazil on the south-western shore of Guanabara Bay.
The bay is surrounded by the city of Rio, the second largest city and former capital of
Brazil, along a strip of land between the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean. It is
surrounded by mountains: Sugar Loaf Mt. (395 m), Corcovado Peak (704 m), and the
hills of Tijuca (1,021 m). The world famous statue of Jesus, Christ the Redeemer stands
on the top of Corcovado Peak.
Questions
Please make sure that you write the questions. All answers will need to be written in
complete and detailed sentences.
1. Why are there only seven natural wonders of the world?
2. What makes the Great Barrier Reef stand out from the other natural wonders?
3. Why do you think the Nepalese Government charges $25,000 (USD) to climb Mount
Everest?
4. Compared to other volcanoes, what is unusual about the Paricutin Volcano?
5. What makes the auroras (Northern Lights) look like they are dancing?
Internet Research
1. Which material was used to make the Christ the Redeemer statue?
2. What has caused the coral bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef?