Saturday, November 12th 2011 - 11:22 UTC

Iguazu Falls chosen as one of the natural seven wonders of the world

The Iguazú Falls located on the border of Argentina and Brazi and consisting of approximately 257 individual falls over 2.7 kilometres were chosen as one of the new natural seven wonders of the world in a contest in which thousands of people voted via text messages, by phone and online. The result will be made official in 2012 with a big celebration.

The majestic Devil’s Throat attracts thousands of tourists every year Zoom Image

The Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s throat) with its U-shape is undoubtedly the highlight of these majestic waterfalls. It is 82 metres high, 150 metres wide and 700 metres long, while the rest of the falls average 64 metres.

Iguazú (Bing River, in Guarani) Falls has long been one of Argentina and Brazil’s most popular touristic destinations. Over 2000 species of plants, 400 of birds and 70 mammals have been registered in the area.

The new seven wonders stemmed of the voting of 28 final candidates, chosen by a group of experts after analyzing over 450 bids. Voting ended on Friday November 11th 2011 at 11.11, and 11 seconds.

During a press conference to celebrate the election, Argentine Misiones province Governor Maurice Closs assured that the Iguazú Falls are “one of the world’s seven natural wonders” adding that the “the committee has sent us the provisional vote” that will be confirmed next year, and “sent us a certificate which stated that we are one of the new seven natural wonders”.

Closs explained that result will be made official early in 2012 with a big celebration. Likewise, he said that the celebrations will take place in the Iguazú Falls, in Buenos Aires and in Brasilia.

Alongside the Iguazú Falls, the Amazon River, Halong Bay in Vietnam, South Africa’s Mesa Mountain, the subterranean river in Puerto Princesa, Phillipines, Jeju Island in South Corea and Komodo, Indonesia also made the cut.

The Ha-Long bay is located at the Northern Province of Vietnam, Quang Ninh, and has 120 kilometres along the coastline and a water extension of over 1,500 kilometres. The bay has a dense collection of 1,969 islands of different forms and sizes.

Many of these islands have enormous caves, lakes and beaches. Another characteristic of the area is its wildlife that includes 200 species of fishes and 450 different species of molluscs.

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. The Amazon Rainforest covers the majority of the Amazon Basin and the high temperatures of the area are favourable for its biodiversity.

The volume of the Amazon River is the largest of the world and it’s the largest basin of the planet.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River is located at 50km north to the Puerto Princesa City in the Philippine Palawan Island. One of the main characteristics of this river is that it travels through a cave with stalactites, stalagmites, and many large chambers and then flows into the South China Sea.

The Komodo National Park is formed by three large islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, and also smaller ones, for a total area of 1,817 sq km.

The park located in Indonesia was founded in 1980 aimed to protect the Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) and other species of plants and animals. The origin of the Islands of the national park is volcanic.

The Jeju Island is a volcanic island located 130km to the South of Korea. Jeju is the smaller province and largest island of South Korea; it has a surface area of 1,846 sq km.

The island’s main feature is the Hallasan, the tallest mountain in South Korea, and it has 360 satellite volcanoes around it.

The Table Mountain is one of the icons of South Africa and the only natural place in the world that receives its name from a constellation of stars: Mensa, meaning table. The flat top of the mountain has resisted the erosion during six million years and hosts the smallest but richest floral kingdom of the world with over 1,470 floral species.
The Mountain also has in impressive selection of wildlife with numerous endangered species.
 

17 comments Feed

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1 Marcos Alejandro (#) Nov 12th, 2011 - 06:02 pm Report abuse
A wonderful place.
2 GeoffWard2 (#) Nov 12th, 2011 - 06:03 pm Report abuse
“The new natural seven wonders of the world”

It's surprising how blinkered we are to THE greatest natural wonder of this world.

Look around the observed planets of our Solar System, of other systems, of the galaxy, and, by extrapolation, the universe.

Beings from the vast distances of space will look at the earth and their jaws will drop in awe at this planet that has . . . . . a vast blue ocean.
3 briton (#) Nov 12th, 2011 - 06:14 pm Report abuse
it looks very nice indeed,
not as impressive as the water fall in my garden, but impressive just the same .lol
4 JB (#) Nov 12th, 2011 - 07:22 pm Report abuse
@ GeoffWard2. You know what?? you are 100% right!!! jajaj..it is true! i never thought that way until i read your comment! Thank you for your insight. too bad we disgree on one other thing.
5 ElaineB (#) Nov 12th, 2011 - 07:50 pm Report abuse
@ Geoff. It is a whole other beautiful world in the deep blue ocean. : )

I agree Iguazu Falls is a beautiful sight to behold.
6 briton (#) Nov 13th, 2011 - 12:39 am Report abuse
how would you compare this with , say, the Victoria falls .
or Niagara falls .
7 Juanweather (#) Nov 13th, 2011 - 05:51 am Report abuse
#6 do you, by any chance, know any of those waterfalls? stupid comment
8 Frank (#) Nov 13th, 2011 - 11:08 am Report abuse
@6 Victoria and Niagara Falls aren't even in the race......
9 chilly2010 (#) Nov 13th, 2011 - 11:09 am Report abuse
Wonderful place, I had the opportunity to be there 2 years ago. It's easy to get there by plane, there are several daily flights from either Rio, Sao Paulo, or Buenos Aires. Very good and affordable (so far) hotels and restaurants. And just a correction, in Guarani (the native language) “Iguazu” means “Big Water.”
10 O gara (#) Nov 13th, 2011 - 12:15 pm Report abuse
truly awe inspiring place.Wonderful walkways on both Argentine and Brasilian sides
11 briton (#) Nov 13th, 2011 - 07:37 pm Report abuse
7 Juanweather
why is it, whenever we ask a simple question, aways from tyhe children
you put ya nappy down and piss rubbish, if the question was a silly comment, then you reply was a very uneducated answer, [quaxos ]
12 yankeeboy (#) Nov 13th, 2011 - 07:58 pm Report abuse
Iguazu is gorgeous as long as you stay on the resort grounds or in the Park. Don't go to the downtown it is full of filthy dirty beggar children with no shoes! You could also go to the tour of the Indian reservations where they all wear USA hand me down tshirts, again have no shoes or paved roads, have only one string of electricity for 1 meeting house and a German School because the Argentinian Gov't refused to put a school on the reservation. They will show you how to trap Pumas though!
The Tri-Boarder Area is a no man's land, no law, ruled by mafia and terrorists. Horrible and Very Dangerous!
13 O gara (#) Nov 13th, 2011 - 10:04 pm Report abuse
The only way for people to find out who is lying teaboy or the rest of us is Go and visit Argentina and find out for yourselves.I promise nobody will ever forget Iguazu
14 yankeeboy (#) Nov 14th, 2011 - 12:30 am Report abuse
13. I don't lie, I don't even have to exaggerate...

just search and find these...

members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/1991dc/

en.mercopress.com/2011/11/12/iguazu-falls-chosen-as-one-of-the-natural-seven-wonders-of-the-world

obrar.org/en/2010/11/desnutricion-infantil-en-america-latina/

nice USA Non--profit giving the puerto iguazu children shoes:
www.toms.com/blog/hqupdates
15 O gara (#) Nov 14th, 2011 - 12:57 am Report abuse
1991 was 20 years ago teaboy The USSR was just done grow up the world has changed alot since then the Us is on a continual downward slope while Argentina zig zagged until the Kirchners came to power
16 Fido Dido (#) Nov 14th, 2011 - 02:15 am Report abuse
Iguacu falls are amazing and it's true why Elenor Roosevelt said when she visted it..“poor Niagra”. Best way to visit is, go to Foz Iguacu in the State of Parana, city is much cleaner and the nightlive offers more, and from there to the Iguacu falls.
17 lucky (#) Nov 14th, 2011 - 02:53 pm Report abuse
beautiful as the night like the moon when life gives light, can be admired from above by helicopter, very romantic recommended.

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