Rocks formations and the Dedo de Deus (God's Finger) peak in the background, Serra dos Órgãos National Park , Rio de Janeiro state , Brazil Raouché or Pigeons' Rock in Beirut , Lebanon Druid Arch , Canyonlands National Park , Utah, USView of Meteora , Greece Rock formations in Ongamira Valley, Sierras de Córdoba , Argentina Belogradchik Rocks , Balkan Mountains , Bulgaria "Jaws", an erosional fin in Little Finland , Nevada , US "Hajdučka vrata" on Čvrsnica , Herzegovina Paklenica , Croatia Devil's Town , Serbia Three Sisters in Blue Mountains , Australia 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 incomplete list of rock formations by continent.
Asia
Armenia
China
Hong Kong
Jordan
India
Israel
Lebanon
Mongolia
Pakistan
Thailand
Turkey
Other countries 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
Africa
Kenya
Libya
Madagascar
Mauritania
Namibia
Nigeria
South Africa Domes de Fabedougou, Burkina Faso
Kola Gorge rock structures, Cameroon
Vingerklip at
Ugab Valley in
Namibia
North America
United States
Canada Devil's Chair, Lake Superior Provincial Park , Ontario Flowerpot Island , Georgian Bay , OntarioGrand Manan Island , New BrunswickHopewell Rocks , New BrunswickGabriola Island , British ColumbiaBrady's Beach, Bamfield , British Columbia Chimney Rock , Marble Canyon , British ColumbiaHeron Rocks, Hornby Island , British Columbia Siwash Rock , Stanley Park , Vancouver , British ColumbiaPercé Rock , Gaspé , QuebecTete d'Indien, Perce, Gaspé , Quebec Balancing Rock, Long Island, Nova Scotia Peggy's Cove , Nova ScotiaBanff National Park , AlbertaBig Rock , Okotoks , AlbertaDrumheller , AlbertaWalsh, Alberta , see Medicine Hat , AlbertaMain 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 Ayo Rock Formations , ArubaDevil's Trail, Virgin Gorda , British Virgin Islands The Baths , Virgin Gorda, British Virgin IslandsCoki Beach , St. Thomas , United States Virgin IslandsPointe des Châteaux , Grande Terre , GuadeloupeDiamond Rock (Rocher du Diamant), Martinique
Mexico Sierra de Organos National Park , Sombrerete , Zacatecas Piedras Encimadas Valley , Zacatlán , Puebla Peña de Bernal , Bernal, QuerétaroCopper Canyon , Chihuahua Los Arcos Rocks , Cabo San Lucas , Baja California Sur Hierve el Agua , San Lorenzo Albarradas
Central America Bosque del Cabo, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica Los Ladrillos, Boquete , Panama[2]
South America
Argentina
Bolivia Dali's Desert, Potosi Valle de Las Rocas, Uyuni Canon de Duene
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Falkland Islands
Paraguay
Peru
Uruguay La Piedra Pintada, Parque Congreso de Abril
Venezuela
Europe
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria A view of the Wonderful Bridges, Bulgaria
Croatia Paklenica , Croatia
Czech Republic Teplice nad Metují Medvědí Stezka (Bear's path), Šumava mountains, Klatovy Vraní skála, Brdy Suché skály, Turnov Hruboskalsko
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia Lange Anna
Germany Meteora with Greek Orthodox monasteries
Greece
Gibraltar The iconic Rock of Gibraltar
Bailiwick of Guernsey
Iceland
Ireland
Italy Pietra di Bismantova, Italy 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 Vidzeme Pusena Kalns, Bartava
North Macedonia
Malta Dwerja, Gozo Dingli Cliffs, Dingli
Isle of Man
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania The collapsed Bride's Cave (Salt Mountain) from Slănic, Romania 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 CountyPiatra Verde (or Muntele Verde) and the Salt Mountain in Slănic Râpa Roșie
Russia Kigilyakhs in the Ulakhan-Sis Range .The Three Brothers, Busani , Buryatia Kamen Shahtai, Lake Baikal Kisilyakh Range , Yakutia , topped by kigilyakh formationsKisilyakh-Tas , Yakutia, topped by kigilyakh formationsKontalaksky Golets , Zabaykalsky Krai Kyun-Tas , Yakutia, topped by kigilyakh formationsLena Cheeks , Irkutsk OblastLena Pillars , YakutiaMonrepo 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 Vratna Gates natural stone bridges in Serbia
Spain Los Roques de Garcia, Tenerife Island , Canary Islands Las Canades, Tenerife Island , Canary Islands Ciudad Encantada , Castilla–La ManchaPicuezo and Picueza, Autol , La Rioja Fuente de los Azulejos , Gran Canaria Island, Canary IslandsEl Torcal de Antequera and Peña de los Enamorados , Antequera, Andalusia, a World Heritages SitesRoque Nublo , Gran Canaria Island, Canary Islands Montserrat , CataloniaRoques de Benet , Ports de Beseit, CataloniaLos Callejones de Las Majadas, Serranía de Cuenca, Castile-La Mancha El Guerrero Romano, Sierra Carrascosa , Aragon Mallos de Riglos , Las Peñas de Riglos, AragonPeña Bajenza in La RiojaLas Médulas , Province of León , site of Roman gold minesLa Peña, Arcos de la Frontera , Andalusia Peñón de Ifach , Calpe , Valencian Community
Sweden
Switzerland
Slovakia Gotická brána, Sulov rocks , Slovakia
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Oceania Talava arches, Niue
Australia Uluru, Australia The Three Sisters , Katoomba – Blue Mountains , New South Wales Devils Marbles , Northern Territory Kata Tjuta , also known as The Olgas, Northern TerritoryRainbow Valley , Northern TerritoryUluru , also known as Ayers Rock, Northern TerritoryMurphys Haystacks , Nullarbor Desert, South Australia Remarkable Rocks , South AustraliaTwelve Apostles , Great Ocean Road , Victoria Mount Augustus , Western Australia Pinnacles Desert , Nambung National Park , Western AustraliaWave Rock , Hyden , Western Australia
New Zealand Castle Hill, New Zealand Castle Hill Basin, Canterbury Koutu Boulders, Hokianga Māori Bay giant pillow lava, Muriwai Lion Rock , PihaMoeraki Boulders , Otago The Nuggets , Catlins Coast , OtagoPancake Rocks, Punakaiki Putangirua Pinnacles , Wairarapa Stony Batter , Waiheke Island Truman Track Beach, Punakaiki Horeke basalts , HokiangaGog and Magog, southern Stewart Island/Rakiura
Other countries
See also
References ^ "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 Media related to Rock formations at Wikimedia Commons The dictionary definition of formation at Wiktionaryhttps://ocre-geoscience.com/ocre-geomap/