At first glance, the image above may appear to be like something out of a dream, but it’s actually Socotra. It’s one of the most isolated landforms on Earth of continental origin (i.e. not of volcanic origin). Continue reading to see five more unbelievable (yet real) places on Earth.
5. Guaira Falls
Guaira Falls were a series of immense waterfalls on the Parana River along the border between Brazil and Paraguay. While published figures vary, ranging from 470,000 cubic feet (13,000 m3) per second to 1,750,000 cubic feet (50,000 m3) per second, Guaira’s flow rate was among the greatest of any then-existing falls on Earth. The clip above was filmed in 1936.
4. Iceberg B-15
Iceberg B-15 is the world’s largest recorded iceberg. It measured around 295 km long and 37 km wide (183-23 mi), with a surface area of 11,000 km2 (6,835 mi2)-larger than the island of Jamaica. The mass was estimated around three billion tonnes. After almost a decade, parts of B-15 still have not melted. Calved from the Ross Ice Shelf near Roosevelt Island in March 2000, B-15 broke up into several pieces in 2000, 2002 and 2003, the largest of which, B-15A, covered 6,400 km2 of the sea surface.
3. Rotorua
Rotorua is a major destination for both domestic and international tourists; the tourism industry is by far the largest industry in the district. The city is known for its geothermal activity, and features geysers – notably the Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa – and hot mud pools. This thermal activity is sourced to the Rotorua caldera, on which the city lies. Rotorua is home to the Waiariki Institute of Technology.
2. Socotra Island
Socotra, also spelled Soqotra, is a small archipelago of four islands in the Indian Ocean. The largest island, also called Socotra, is about 95% of the landmass of the archipelago. It lies some 240 km (150 mi) east of the Horn of Africa and 380 km (240 mi) south of the Arabian Peninsula. The island is very isolated and through the process of speciation, a third of its plant life is found nowhere else on the planet. It has been described as the most alien-looking place on Earth. The island measures 132 km (82 mi) in length and 49.7 km (30.9 mi) in width.
1. Meteor Crater
Meteor Crater is a meteorite impact crater approximately 43 miles (69 km) east of Flagstaff, near Winslow in the northern Arizona desert of the United States. Scientists refer to the crater as Barringer Crater in honor of Daniel Barringer, who was first to suggest that it was produced by meteorite impact. The crater is privately owned by the Barringer family through their Barringer Crater Company, which proclaims it to be “best preserved meteorite crater on Earth”.