List of karst areas explained
Karst topography is a geological formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but also in gypsum.[1] It has also been documented for weathering-resistant rocks, such as quartzite, given the right conditions.[2] This is an incomplete list of the major karst landscape areas of the world.
Africa
Madagascar
South Africa
Asia
China
-
- Jiuzhaigou Valley and Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area, (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Shaanxi tiankeng cluster, discovered in 2016, it is one of the largest in the world comprising forty-nine sinkholes and more than fifty funnels ranging from 50–100 metres in diameter.
- South China Karst, World Heritage Site
- Stone Forest
- Xiaozhai Tiankeng, also known as the Heavenly Pit, is the world's largest sinkhole.[3]
- Zhangjiajie National Forest park, forming part of the Wulingyuan scenic area, World Heritage Site
- Wulong Karst, Wulong County, Chongqing Municipality
Georgia
India
Yana Caves -Karnatka (Uttar Kanada District)
Indonesia
- Ajamaru Plateau, West Papua, Indonesia
- Gombong Selatan, Central Java, Indonesia
- Gunung Sewu, Indonesia
- Rammang-Rammang, in the Bantimurung - Bulusaraung National Park in (Maros Regency) Indonesia, known as The Spectacular Tower Karst Area[4]
- Sangkulirang-Mangkalihat, East Kalimantan
- Sijunjung, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Israel and Palestine
Japan
Laos
Lebanon
Malaysia
Myanmar
Palestine
- Ofra region, Palestinian territories
Philippines
- El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
- Coron, Palawan, Philippines
- Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines
- Chocolate Hills, Bohol, Philippines
- Osmeña Peak, Cebu, Philippines
South Korea
Thailand
Taiwan
Turkey
Vietnam
Europe
Albania
Austria
- Eastern region of the Northern Limestone Alps in the provinces of Salzburg, Upper Austria, Styria, and Lower Austria, forming huge limestone plateaus such as the Steinernes Meer, Hagengebirge, Tennengebirge, Dachstein, Totes Gebirge, Hochschwab, Rax, and Schneeberg.
- Area around Graz, Styria.
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Karst poljes (kraška polja)
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Estonia
See main article: List of karst areas in Estonia.
France
Germany
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Lithuania
Malta
- Wied iż-Żurrieq and Dingli, West
Montenegro
- Dinaric Alps region (70% of the territory of Montenegro is Karst)
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
- Picos de Europa and Basque mountains, northern Spain
- Larra-Belagua, Navarre, northern Spain
- Serra del Cadí mountain range, Spain
- Garraf Massif Natural Park area, Spain
- Ciudad Encantada in the province of Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
- El Torcal de Antequera nature preserve, southern Spain
- El Cerro del Hierro, in Sevilla, southern Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
- 7900km2, or 19% of the surface of Switzerland, is karst, within this area lies the majority of the 7,500 currently known Swiss caves, with an accumulated passage length of more than 1200km (700miles).
Ukraine
- Podolia and Bukovina regions in the northeastern edge of the Carpathian Mountains which includes some of the largest gypsum caves in the world, including the Optymistychna Cave, which is over 200,000 meters in length, making it the longest cave in Eurasia, the third longest in the world, and the longest gypsum cave in the world.
United Kingdom
England
Northern Ireland
Scotland
Wales
North America
Canada
Mexico
United States
Alaska
Arizona
Florida
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Michigan
Missouri, Arkansas
Nevada
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Dakota
- Black Hills (Wind Cave, Jewel Cave)
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
West Virginia
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois
Central America and Caribbean
Belize
Cuba
Dominican Republic
Jamaica
Puerto Rico
South America
Brazil
Chile
Venezuela
Oceania
Australia
- Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park and Kintore Caves Conservation Reserve, Katherine, Northern Territory
- Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, near Margaret River, south west Western Australia
- Northern Swan Coastal Plain, Perth, Western Australia
- Naracoorte Caves National Park, South Australia
- Jenolan Caves, New South Wales
- Wombeyan Caves, New South Wales
- Mole Creek Karst National Park, Tasmania
- Nullarbor Plain, South Australia and Western Australia
- Yarrangobilly Caves area, New South Wales
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Notes and References
- Web site: Glossary of Cave and Karst Terms . Speleogenesis Information Network . 2009-05-04.
- Geomorphological Landscapes of the World.
- Web site: Xiaozhai Tiankeng sinkhole . 3 November 2011 . Virtual Globetrotting . 2013-04-07.
- Web site: Wisata Gua Salukangkallang yang Menantang . January 5, 2012 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120109095337/http://www.mediaindonesia.com/mediatravelista/index.php/read/2012/01/05/3480/2/Wisata-Gua-Salukangkallang-yang-Menantang . January 9, 2012 .
- Web site: Stalactite Cave Nature Reserve. Israel Nature and Parks Authority. 8 February 2018.
- Gerson. Ran. Karst processes of the eastern upper Galilee, Northern Israel. Journal of Hydrology. February 1974. 21. 2. 131–152. 10.1016/0022-1694(74)90033-X. 1974JHyd...21..131G .
- Joerg Dreybrodt and Helmut Steiner, 'Karst and caves of the Shan plateau in Myanmar', November 2015.
- Marie Starr, 'Exploring Myanmar's vast network of limestone caves', Frontier, 13 April 2018.
- https://books.google.com/books?id=7d4i1Ss_HY8C&dq=%22giants+hole%22+castleton&pg=PA63 Castleton
- http://www.ukcaves.co.uk/region-mendip-longest Mendip – Longest caves
- http://www.ukcaves.co.uk/region-northerndales-longest Northern Dales – Longest caves
- http://www.ukcaves.co.uk/region-forestofdean-longest Forest Of Dean – Longest caves
- http://www.ukcaves.co.uk/region-assynt-longest Assynt – Longest caves
- http://www.ukcaves.co.uk/region-southwales-longest South Wales – Longest caves
- Web site: Cave Stream Scenic Reserve . Department of Conservation. 24 April 2014.
