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.
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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
editArmenia
editChina
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
editJordan
editIndia
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
editPakistan
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
editKenya
edit- Tsavo Rocks
Libya
editMadagascar
editMauritania
editNamibia
editNigeria
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
editUnited States
editCanada
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
editSouth America
editArgentina
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
editParaguay
editPeru
editUruguay
editVenezuela
edit- Tepui, Roraima, Canaima National Park
- Piedras de San Martin, La Vela de Coro, Estado Falcón
Europe
editAlbania
editBosnia 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
editGermany
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
editBailiwick 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
editMalta
editIsle of Man
editNorway
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
editRomania
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
editOceania
editAustralia
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
- https://ocre-geoscience.com/ocre-geomap/