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.
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
- Yunmeng Mountain National Forest Park, Beijing
- Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
- Huangshan, Anhui Province
- Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, Zhangjiajie, Hunan
Hong Kong edit
Jordan edit
India edit
- Jabalpur Marble Rocks, Madhya Pradesh
- Rock Formations in Rayalseema Andhra Pradesh, Hampi Karnataka
- Yana
Israel edit
- Rosh Hanikra
- Timna Arch, Eilat
- Karnei Hattin
Lebanon edit
- Cape Lithoprosopon
- Raouché, Beirut
Mongolia edit
Pakistan edit
- Rock formations at Hingol National Park
Thailand edit
- Lalu (ละลุ), rock formations caused by erosion at the eastern end of the Sankamphaeng Range in Sa Kaeo Province
- Phae Mueang Phi ("Ghost Canyon") near Phrae in the Phi Pan Nam Range
- Phu Phra Bat Buabok in Udon Thani Province
Turkey edit
- Paşabağı, Cappadocia
- Goreme National Park
Other countries edit
- Gobustan National Park, Azerbaijan
- Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, Mon State, Burma
- Aphrodite's Rock, Paphos, Cyprus
- Tanah Lot, Bali, Indonesia
- Jeti-Ögüz, Jeti-Ögüz district, Kyrgyzstan
- Tanjong Bunga, Penang, Malaysia
- Al Naslaa rock formation, Saudi Arabia
- Long Ya Men, Singapore
- Seorak-san National Park, Sokcho, South Korea
- Yehliu, Taiwan
- Halong Bay, Vietnam
-
Avatar Mountains, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Wulingyuan
-
Candle Rock (Yoichi, Hokkaidō, Japan)
-
Paşabağı, Cappadocia Turkey
-
Punta Matagar rock formation in Banton, Romblon, Philippines
Africa edit
Kenya edit
- Tsavo Rocks
Libya edit
Madagascar edit
Mauritania edit
Namibia edit
Nigeria edit
- Olumo Rock, Abeokuta[1]
- Riyom Rock, Jos
- Zuma Rock, Abuja
South Africa edit
- Cedarberg Wilderness Area, Western Cape
- Kagga Kamma, Ceres, Western Cape
- Three Sisters (Northern Cape)
-
Domes de Fabedougou, Burkina Faso
-
Kola Gorge rock structures, Cameroon
-
Vingerklip at Ugab Valley in Namibia
North America edit
United States edit
Canada edit
- Devil's Chair, Lake Superior Provincial Park, Ontario
- Flowerpot Island, Georgian Bay, Ontario
- Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick
- Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick
- Gabriola Island, British Columbia
- Brady's Beach, Bamfield, British Columbia
- Chimney Rock, Marble Canyon, British Columbia
- Heron Rocks, Hornby Island, British Columbia
- Siwash Rock, Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia
- Percé Rock, Gaspé, Quebec
- Tete d'Indien, Perce, Gaspé, Quebec
- Balancing Rock, Long Island, Nova Scotia
- Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia
- Banff National Park, Alberta
- Big Rock, Okotoks, Alberta
- Drumheller, Alberta
- Walsh, Alberta, see Medicine Hat, Alberta
- Main Topsail Hill, near Gaff Topsails, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Arches, St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Elephant Rock, Prince Edward Island
- Giant's Chair, Howard's Cove, Prince Edward Island
- Victoria Rock, Yukon
- Sleeping Giant, Ontario
Caribbean edit
- Ayo Rock Formations, Aruba
- Devil's Trail, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
- The Baths, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
- Coki Beach, St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands
- Pointe des Châteaux, Grande Terre, Guadeloupe
- Diamond Rock (Rocher du Diamant), Martinique
Mexico edit
- Sierra de Organos National Park, Sombrerete, Zacatecas
- Piedras Encimadas Valley, Zacatlán, Puebla
- Peña de Bernal, Bernal, Querétaro
- Copper Canyon, Chihuahua
- Los Arcos Rocks, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur
- Hierve el Agua, San Lorenzo Albarradas
Central America edit
South America edit
Argentina edit
- Quebrada de Humahuaca, Humahuaca
- Ongamira Valley, Córdoba
- Ischigualasto, San Juan Province
- Monte Fitz Roy, El Chalten
Bolivia edit
- Dali's Desert, Potosi
- Valle de Las Rocas, Uyuni
- Canon de Duene
Brazil edit
- Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain), Rio de Janeiro
- Ponta Grossa, Paraná
- Pedra do Jacaré (Aligator Stone), São Paulo
- Dedo de Deus (God's Finger Rock), Serra dos Órgãos, Rio de Janeiro
- Pedra do Cão Sentado, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro
- Pedra da Galinha Choca, Quixadá, Ceará
Chile edit
- Valle de la Luna, Antofagasta
- Playa de la Calabocillos, Constitucion
- Silla del Diablo
Colombia edit
- El Peñón de Guatapé (La Piedra de Peñol), Antioquia
- Laguna de La Plaza, Sierra Nevada del Cocuy
Ecuador edit
- Cerro de Arcos, Loja
- Pinnacle Rock, Bartolome Island, Galápagos Islands
Falkland Islands edit
Paraguay edit
Peru edit
Uruguay edit
Venezuela edit
- Tepui, Roraima, Canaima National Park
- Piedras de San Martin, La Vela de Coro, Estado Falcón
Europe edit
Albania edit
Bosnia and Herzegovina edit
- Hajdučka vrata, Čvrsnica mountain
Bulgaria edit
- Basarbovo Monastery, Rousse
- Belogradchik Rocks
- Iskar Gorge, Sofia
- Melnik Earth Pyramids, Melnik
- Sozopol
- Wonderful Bridges
- Golden Bridges ('Zlatnite Mostove'), Vitosha
- Golyamata Gramada ('Big Pile'), Vitosha
- Pobiti Kamani
Croatia edit
- Paklenica
- Bijele stijene (White Rocks) and Samarske stijene (Samar Rocks), Velika Kapela mountain
Czech Republic edit
- Teplice nad Metují
- Medvědí Stezka (Bear's path), Šumava mountains, Klatovy
- Vraní skála, Brdy
- Suché skály, Turnov
- Hruboskalsko
Denmark edit
- Bornholm
- Fur Formation
- Møns Klint, Møn
- Gedser Odde, Gedser
- Stevns Klint, Eastern Zealand
- Cliffs of Sangstrup, Djursland
Estonia edit
- Vormsi island
Finland edit
- Närpes
- Naantali
France edit
- Roussillon, Vaucluse
- Lesconil, Brittany
- Les Calanche, Corsica
- Rocher des Doms, Avignon
- Étretat, Normandy
- Cassis, near Marseille, Provence
Georgia edit
Germany edit
- List of rock formations in the Harz
- Battert Rocks, Baden-Baden, Black Forest
- Externsteine
- Falkenfelsen
- Lange Anna, Heligoland
- Rotenfels, Nahe, Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg, Rhineland-Palatinate
- Teufelsturm, Elbe Sandstone Mountains
- Wasgau
Greece edit
- Meteora
- Monemvasia
- Samaria Gorge, Crete
- Sarti, Sithonia
Gibraltar edit
Bailiwick of Guernsey edit
- Les Autelets, Sark, Channel Islands
- Telegraph Bay, Alderney, Channel Islands
Iceland edit
- Vestmannaeyjar
- Jokulsa Canyon National Park, Mývatn
- Dimmuborgir, Mývatn
- Dyrhólaey
- Eystrahorn, Hvalnes
Ireland edit
- Beara Peninsula, Bantry, County Cork
- Skellig Rocks, Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry
- Gap of Dunloe, Killarney, County Kerry
- Tory Island, County Donegal
- Achill Island, County Mayo
- Answering Stone, County Waterford
Italy edit
- Il Gargano, Vieste, Apulia
- Palmarola, Sicily
- Pietra di Bismantova, Reggiano Apennines
- Valle Seriana, Bergamo, Lombardy
- Golfo di Orosei, Cala Luna, Monte Tiscali, Sardinia
- Tarpeian Rock
- The thrown stones, Lazio
Latvia edit
- Vidzeme
- Pusena Kalns, Bartava
North Macedonia edit
Malta edit
Isle of Man edit
Norway edit
- Skude, Beiningen, Haugaland
- Geirangerfjord
- Preikestolen
- Kjerag
- Troll Wall
- Nigardsbreen, part of the larger glacier Jostedalsbreen
- Sommarøy, Tromsø
- Jutulhogget (Rondane)
- Trolltunga
Poland edit
- Cudgel of Hercules – monadrock in Ojców National Park
- Mnich
- Słoneczna
- Dolina Koscieliska, Western Tatras
- Dunajec Gorge, Zakopane
Portugal edit
Romania edit
- Apuseni Mountains: Detunatele
- Bucegi Mountains: Babele, The Sphinx
- Ciucaș Mountains: Porumbelul Bratocei, Colții Bratocei, Turnul Goliat, Babele la sfat, etc.
- Făgăraş Mountains: Fereastra zmeilor
- Hășmaș Mountains: Piatra singuratică
- Piatra Craiului Mountains: La zaplaz, Cerdacul Stanciului, Turnul/Degetul lui Anghelide
- Gorges: Bicaz Gorge, Turda Gorge, Danube's Iron Gate (includes Babacai Rock[3]), Cheile Dobrogei, Cheile Sohodolului, Cheile Doftanei (aka Brebului)
- Piatra Secuiului in Alba County
- Piatra Verde (or Muntele Verde) and the Salt Mountain in Slănic
- Râpa Roșie
Russia edit
- The Three Brothers, Busani, Buryatia
- Kamen Shahtai, Lake Baikal
- Kisilyakh Range, Yakutia, topped by kigilyakh formations
- Kisilyakh-Tas, Yakutia, topped by kigilyakh formations
- Kontalaksky Golets, Zabaykalsky Krai
- Kyun-Tas, Yakutia, topped by kigilyakh formations
- Lena Cheeks, Irkutsk Oblast
- Lena Pillars, Yakutia
- Monrepo Park, Vyborg, St. Petersburg
- Stolby National Park, Krasnoyarsk Krai[4]
- Sail Rock, Krasnodar Krai
- Taganay National Park, Chelyabinsk
- Ulakhan-Sis, Yakutia, topped by kigilyakh formations
Serbia edit
- Đavolja Varoš (Devil's Town)[5]
- Prskalo waterfall, Kučaj mountains[6]
- Vratna Gates three natural stone bridges
- Đavoljev kamen near Trgovište
Spain edit
- Los Roques de Garcia, Tenerife Island, Canary Islands
- Las Canades, Tenerife Island, Canary Islands
- Ciudad Encantada, Castilla–La Mancha
- Picuezo and Picueza, Autol, La Rioja
- Fuente de los Azulejos, Gran Canaria Island, Canary Islands
- El Torcal de Antequera and Peña de los Enamorados, Antequera, Andalusia, a World Heritages Sites
- Roque Nublo, Gran Canaria Island, Canary Islands
- Montserrat, Catalonia
- Roques de Benet, Ports de Beseit, Catalonia
- Los Callejones de Las Majadas, Serranía de Cuenca, Castile-La Mancha
- El Guerrero Romano, Sierra Carrascosa, Aragon
- Mallos de Riglos, Las Peñas de Riglos, Aragon
- Peña Bajenza in La Rioja
- Las Médulas, Province of León, site of Roman gold mines
- La Peña, Arcos de la Frontera, Andalusia
- Peñón de Ifach, Calpe, Valencian Community
Sweden edit
- The islands Gotland, Fårö and Öland have many coastal stretches with stack formations.
- Busten, Glaskogens Nature Reserve, Kalleboda
- Stegborgsgarden, Stegborg
- Stenhamra, Uppland
Switzerland edit
- Mount Pilatus
- Val dal Botsch
Slovakia edit
- Lehotské skaly, near Handlová
- Haligovské skaly, near Stará Ľubovňa
- Súľovské skaly (part of the Súľovské vrchy Mountains)
- Zelené Pleso Valley (in the High Tatras)
- Devin Castle, Devin
Ukraine edit
- Hoverla, Carpathian Mountains
- Nikita, Ukraine, Yalta
- Skaly Taraktasky, Crimea
- Karadag, Crimea
- Cape Fiolent, Sevastopol
United Kingdom edit
Oceania edit
Australia edit
- The Three Sisters, Katoomba – Blue Mountains, New South Wales
- Devils Marbles, Northern Territory
- Kata Tjuta, also known as The Olgas, Northern Territory
- Rainbow Valley, Northern Territory
- Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, Northern Territory
- Murphys Haystacks, Nullarbor Desert, South Australia
- Remarkable Rocks, South Australia
- Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Victoria
- Mount Augustus, Western Australia
- Pinnacles Desert, Nambung National Park, Western Australia
- Wave Rock, Hyden, Western Australia
New Zealand edit
- Castle Hill Basin, Canterbury
- Koutu Boulders, Hokianga
- Māori Bay giant pillow lava, Muriwai
- Lion Rock, Piha
- Moeraki Boulders, Otago
- The Nuggets, Catlins Coast, Otago
- Pancake Rocks, Punakaiki
- Putangirua Pinnacles, Wairarapa
- Stony Batter, Waiheke Island
- Truman Track Beach, Punakaiki
- Horeke basalts, Hokianga
- Gog and Magog, southern Stewart Island/Rakiura
Other countries edit
- Fatu Hiva, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia
- Moso's Footprint, Samoa
- Talava Arches, Niue, South Pacific
See also edit
- Formation of rocks – Process of rock formations
- List of landforms
- List of rock formations that resemble human beings
- List of rocks on Mars – Alphabetical list of named rocks and meteorites found on Mars
- Rock cycle – Transitional concept of geologic time
References edit
- ^ "Olumo Rock - A Nigerian Tourist Destination". www.olumorock.com. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ^ "Escalando el Gunko de Boquete" (in Spanish). El Chiricano. 2007-06-04.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Stânca Babacai (de aici incepe Clisura de sus)". wikimapia.org. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ^ "Красноярские Столбы". www.stolby.ru. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ^ The Djavolja Varos (Devil's Town) Natural Landmark, UNESCO World Heritage
- ^ "Vodopad Prskalo" (in Serbian). FreeBiking.org.
External links edit
- Media related to Rock formations at Wikimedia Commons
- The dictionary definition of formation at Wiktionary