Rock formation

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This is a List of rock formations, meaning isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrops. These are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock. Rock formation in general refers 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:

• Sedimentary rocks are created from bits of rocks that have broken off other rocks by wind or water erosion, and deposited by wind, ice, or water. Erosion later exposes them in their current form. An example is Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.
• Metamorphic rocks are created by rocks that have evolved into another kind of rock, usually by heat and pressure. An example is Mount Rushmore National Monument in South Dakota.
• Igneous rocks are created when molten rock cools and solidifies, with or without crystallization. They may be either intrusive bodies or volcanic extrusives. Again, erosive forces sculpt their current forms. An example is Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.

Geologists have created a number of terms to describe different rock structures in the landscape that can be formed by natural processes:

• Inselberg is a residual relief feature. It can be an isolated hill, a knob, ridge or small mountain that rises abruptly, like an island, from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain. Inselberg is a German word that means "island mountain". Uluru/Ayers Rock in Australia is a noted example.
• Peak
• Stack
• Mesa
• Butte
• Escarpment
• Gorge
• Sea cliff
• River cliff
• Stone run

Lists of rock formations

Asia

• Yoichi, Hokkaidō, Japan
• Yeliu, Taiwan
• Tanjong Bunga, Penang, Malaysia
• Jabalpur Marble Rocks, Madhya Pradesh, India
• Face Rock, Deccan, Hyderabad, India
• Sitio Lugsangan, Barangay Tabon, Cebu, Philippines
• Amah Rock, Hong Kong
• Yun Meng Mountains, Beijing, China
• Guilin, China
• Grandfather and Grandmother stone, Ko Samui, Thailand
• James Bond Island, Phang Nga, Thailand
• Halong Bay, Vietnam
• Long Ya Men, Singapore
• Seorak-san National Park, Sokcho, South Korea
• Taichar Chuluu, Arkhangai Aimag, Mongolia
• Terelj National Park, Gorkhi, Mongolia
• Tanah Lot, Bali, Indonesia

Middle East

• Timna Arch, Eilat, Israel
• Karnei Hittim, Israel
• Paşabağı, Cappadocia, Turkey
• Goreme National Park, Turkey
• Tegherivank, Armenia
• Geghard, Armenia
• Petra, Amman, Jordan
• Wadi Rum Desert, Jordan
• Kuh-E-Namak, Iran
• Elemite Rock, Fars, Iran
• Mahneshan, Zanjan, Iran
• Cape Lithoprosopon, Lebanon
• Raouché, Beirut, Lebanon
• Gobustan, Azerbaijan
• Aphrodite's Rock, Paphos, Cyprus
• Wadi Dhar, Yemen
• Bani Al Harit, Saana, Yemen

Africa

Algeria

• Tamanrasset
• Tassili Mountains

Angola

• Benguela Province
• Iona, Tombwa

Burkina Faso

• Doumes de Fabedougou
• Pic du Sindou

Cameroon

• Kola Gorge

Egypt

• White Desert

Eritrea

• Decemhare

Kenya

• Tsavo Rocks

Libya

• Akakus Mountains

Madagascar

• Andringitra
• Isalo National Park

Malawi

• Makuzi Beach, Chintheche

Mali

• Massif des Aguilles de Garmi

Mauritania

• Ben Amera

Morocco

• Siroua Mountains
• Tafraoute

Namibia

• Bogenfels
• Vingerklip, Damaraland
• Waterberg Plateau

Niger

• Geuzzam

Nigeria

• Kamale Pinnacle, Mubi
• Olumo Rock, Abeokuta
• Riyom Rock, Jos

Seychelles

• Anse Source d'Argent, La Digue

South Africa

• Cedarberg Wilderness Area, Western Cape
• Kagga Kamma, Ceres, Western Cape
• Dead Man's Fingers, found in the warm lakes and sea waters in this area. Dead Man's fingers are a type of rock formation, not a specific one.

Sudan

• Burget Tuyur, Selima

Tunisia

• Chebika Rock
• Tamazrat

Zimbabwe

• Domboshava Rocks
• Maleme Dam, Matobos
• Motombo Rock Formations

Americas

United States of America

Canada

Caribbean

• Ayo Rock Formations, Aruba
• Casibari Boulders, Aruba
• Guajataca, Puerto Rico
• Virgin Gorda Rocks, British Virgin Islands
• Devil's Trail, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
• Bath's Beach, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
• Coki Beach, St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands
• Governor's Harbor, Eleuthera, Bahamas
• Tent Bay, Barbados
• Pointe des Chateaux, Grande Terre, Guadeloupe
• Malendure Rock, Basse Terre, Guadeloupe
• Diamond Rock, Torrens Point, Saba, Netherlands Antilles
• Stonehaven Bay, Tobago
• Sandy Beach, Saint Lucia

Latin America

• Piedras Encimidas Valley, Zacatlán, Puebla, Mexico
• Copper Canyon, Chihuahua, Mexico
• Los Arcos Rocks, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico
• Cerro de Arcos, Loja, Ecuador
• Dali's Desert, Potosi, Bolivia
• Valle de Las Rocas, Uyuni, Bolivia
• Canon de Duene, Bolivia
• Ponta Grossa, Brazil
• Pedro do Jacare, São Paulo, Brazil
• Valle de la Luna, Antofagasta, Chile
• Playa de la Calabocillos, Constitucion, Chile
• Bosque del Cabo, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
• Pinnacle Rock, Bartolome Island, Galapagos Islands
• Quebrada de Humahuaca, Humahuaca Argentina
• Ischigualasto, San Juan Province, Argentina
• Cerro Fitz Roy, El Chalten, Argentina
• Amambay, Paraguay
• La Piedra Pintada, Parque Congreso de Abril, Uruguay
• Colca Canyon, Arequipa, Peru
• Tepui, Roraima, Canaima National Park, Venezuela
• Piedras de San Martin, La Vela de Coro, Estado Falcón Venezuela
• Piedra de Penol, Antioquia, Colombia
• Laguna de La Plaza, Sierra Nevada del Cocuy, Colombia
• Dedo de Deus (God's Finger Rock), Serra dos Órgãos, Brazil
• Pedra do Cão Sentado, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Falkland Islands

• Princes Street Stone Run

Europe

Others in Europe

Bulgaria

• Basarbovo Monastery, Rousse
• Belogradchik Rocks
• Iskar Gorge, Sofia
• Melnik, Sandanski
• Sozopol
• Wonderful Bridges
• Golden Bridges (‘Zlatnite Mostove’), Vitosha

Czech Republic

• Teplice nad Metují
• Medvedi Stezka, Sumava, Klatovy
• Vrani Skala, Brdy
• Suche Skaly, Turnov
• Hruboskalsko

Denmark

• Bornholm
• Møns Klint, Møn
• Gedser Odde, Gedser
• Stevns Klint, Østsjælland
• Sangstrup, Djursland

Estonia

• Lake Peipsi
• Vormsi Island

Finland

• Narpes
• Naantali

France

Germany

• Rotenfels, Nahe, Bad Muenster am Stein-Ebernberg, Rhineland-Palatinate
• Teufelsturm, Elbsandstein
• Wasgau
• Externsteine

Greece

• Sarti, Sithonia
• Samaria Gorge, Crete
• Meteora

Gibraltar

• Rock of Gibraltar

Bailiwick of Guernsey

• Les Autelets, Sark, Channel Islands
• Telegraph Bay, Alderney, Channel Islands

Iceland

• Vestmannaeyjar
• Jokulsa Canyon National Park, Mývatn
• Dimmuborgir, Mývatn
• Dyrholaey
• Eystrahorn, Hvalnes

Ireland

Italy

• Il Gargano, Vieste, Apulia
• Palmarola, Sicily
• Valle Seriana, Bergamo, Lombardy
• Golfo di Orosei,Cala Luna, Monte Tiscali, Sardinia
• Tarpeian Rock

Latvia

• Vidzeme
• Pusena Kalns, Bartava

Malta

• Dwerja, Gozo
• Dingli Cliffs, Dingli

Isle of Man

• Glen Maye, Isle of Man

Norway

• Skude, Beiningen, Haugaland
• Geirangerfjord
• Nigardsbreen, part of the larger glacier Jostedalsbreen
• Sommarøy, Tromsø

Poland

• Sloneczna
• Ciezkowice
• Zielone Wzgorze, Piechowice
• Dolina Koscieliska, Western Tatras
• Dunajec Gorge, Zakopane

Portugal

• Ponta da Piedade, Lagos, Algarve
• Albufeira
• Porto Moniz, Madeira
• Ponta de Sao Lourenco, Madeira

Romania

• Lacu Roşu, Transylvania
• Bicaz Gorges, Neamţ County
• Detunatele, Ceahlău
• Cheile Dobrogei, Târguşor

Russia

Spain

• Los Roques de Garcia, Tenerife, Canary Islands
• Las Canades, Tenerife, Canary Islands
• Ciudad Encantada, Cuenca
• Autol, La Roja
• Fuente de los Azulejos, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands

Sweden

• The islands Gotland, Fårö and Öland has many coastal stretches with stack formations.
• Busten, Glaskogens Nature Reserve, Kalleboda
• Stegborgsgarden, Stegborg
• Stenhamra, Uppland

Switzerland

• Bastei
• Mount Pilatus
• Val dal Botsch

Slovakia

• Lehotske Skaly, Handlova
• Haligovske Skaly, Stara Lubovna
• Sulovske skaly (Sulov rocks), Strazovske vrchy
• Dolina Zeleneho Plesa, Vysoke Tatry

Ukraine

United Kingdom

Oceania

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