List of karst areas

Karst topography is a geological formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite,^[1] but also in gypsum.^[2] It has also been documented for weathering-resistant rocks, such as quartzite, given the right conditions.^[3] This is an incomplete list of the major karst landscape areas of the world.

Africa

Madagascar

Anjajavy Forest, western Madagascar
Ankarana Reserve, Madagascar
Madagascar dry deciduous forests, western Madagascar
Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve, Madagascar

South Africa

Oudtshoorn, Western Cape Province, KwaZulu Natal.
West Rand, Gauteng and North West Province, KwaZulu Natal.

Asia

Phong Nha Cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang, Vietnam

China

Area around Guilin and Yangshuo
Jiuzhaigou Valley and Huanglong National Park, (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
South China Karst, World Heritage Site
Stone Forest
Xiaozhai Tiankeng, also known as the Heavenly Pit, is the world's largest sinkhole.^[4]
Zhangjiajie National Forest park, forming part of the Wulingyuan scenic area, World Heritage Site
Wulong Karst, Wulong County, Chongqing Municipality

Georgia

Arabika Massif (including Voronya Cave—the world's deepest cave), Abkhazia, Georgia

India

Yana
[Cuddapah Basin, Chhattisgarh basin]^[5]
[Himalayas, Kashmir]
[Coastal areas]

Indonesia

File:Obyek wisata Rammang-Rammang.jpg

Karst landscape at Rammang-Rammang, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Bantimurung, Indonesia
Gunung Sewu, Indonesia
Rammang-Rammang, (Maros Regency) Indonesia, known as The Spectacular Tower Karst Area^[6]

Lebanon

Dunnieh mountains, North Lebanon

Jeita Grotto, Lebanon
Parts of Mount Lebanon

Malaysia

Philippines

El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
Coron, Palawan, Philippines
Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines
Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines
Chocolate Hills, Bohol, Philippines
Gigante Islands, Carles, Iloilo
Negros Island, Negros Oriental, Philippines
Virac, Catanduanes, Philippines
Caramoan Peninsula, Camarines Sur, Philippines

South Korea

Gangwon-do (South Korea), South Korea
Northwestern North Chungcheong Province, South Korea

Thailand

Taiwan

Kenting National Park, Taiwan

Turkey

Taşeli, Turkey

Vietnam

Hạ Long Bay, Vietnam
Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park, Vietnam
Tam Cốc-Bích Động in Ninh Bình Province, Vietnam
Đồng Văn Karst, Global Geopark

Europe

Albania

Biza area in central Eastern Albania
Mali me Gropa
Albanian Alps
Karaburun Peninsula, Albania

Austria

Eastern region of the Northern Limestone Alps in the provinces of Salzburg, Upper Austria, Styria, and Lower Austria, forming huge limestone plateaus such as the Steinernes Meer, Hagengebirge, Tennengebirge, Dachstein, Totes Gebirge, Hochschwab, Rax, and Schneeberg.
Area around Graz, Styria.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Karst poljas (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian: kraška polja)

Popovo polje in Herzegovina region of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Livanjsko polje (405 km²), near Livno in Završje (Tropolje) region of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Nevesinjsko polje, near Nevesinje in Herzegovina region of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Gatačko polje, near Gacko in Herzegovina region of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Glamočko polje, near Glamoč in Završje (Tropolje) region of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Duvanjsko polje, near Duvno in Završje (Tropolje) region of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mostarsko polje, near Mostar in Herzegovina region of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kupreško polje, near Kupres in the border area of Završje (Tropolje) region and Bosnia (region) of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Vjetrenica (which means "wind cave" or "blowhole"), largest and most important cave
Neretva river
Trebisnjica river

Bulgaria

Central Rhodope karst (including Trigrad Gorge), Bulgaria
Devnya Valley, Varna Province, Bulgaria
Dragoman marsh, Bulgaria
Karlukovo Karst Geocomplex

Croatia

Regions of Dalmatia, Lika (Plitvice Lakes National Park), Gorski kotar, Istria, Kvarner and the islands in Croatia
See also: list of caves in Croatia

Czech Republic

Estonia

File:KostivereSeen.jpg

Kostivere karst area in Estonia.

France

Pyrenees
- Massif de Larra-Belagua, near Pic d'Anie
- Pierre-Saint-Martin
- Arbailles
Massif Central
- Causses (Causse du Larzac,...)
French Prealps
Jura
- Bugey
Pays d'Ouche (Normandy)

Germany

Hönnetal at Balve
South Harz and Kyffhaeuser Gypsum Karst
Swabian Alb region in the federal state of Baden-Wuerttemberg

Hungary

Region of the Mecsek Mountains
Bükk, a plateau in northeastern Hungary
Bakony Hills in Transdanubia
Buda Hills, thermal karst area
Aggtelek Karst and the largest cave in Hungary (Aggtelek National Park, UNESCO WHS)

Ireland, R.

Burren in County Clare
Ballydotia, near Moycullen, in Co. Galway
Dringeen Oughter, Lough Mask, in Co. Mayo
Tullyskeherny, near Manorhamilton, in Co. Leitrim

Italy

Gargano, in Apulia, northern
Murge, in Apulia and Basilicata, southern
Carso (Slovene: Kras), a plateau in southwestern Slovenia and northeastern Italy
Piano Grande surrounding Castelluccio (Norcia), in the Monti Sibillini National Park
Montello, in Veneto, a plateau in conglomerate rock, venetian sub-alps hills

Malta

Wied iż-Żurrieq and Dingli, West

Montenegro

Dinaric Alps region

Poland

Kraków-Częstochowa Upland (Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska)
Holy Cross Mountains (Góry Świętokrzyskie) with the Jaskinia Raj (Raj Cave)
Tatra Mountains including the Jaskinia Wielka Śnieżna (Great Snowy Cave)— the longest cave in Poland

Portugal

File:Polje inundado 02.jpg

"Mira d'Aire"'s Karst Lake, Portugal

File:Grutas de Mira Daire4.jpg

"Mira d'Aire"'s Karst cave system, Portugal

Natural Park Serras d'Aire and Candeeiros

Romania

Serbia

Dinaric Alps region
merokarst of eastern Serbia

Slovakia

Slovenia

Škocjan Caves, Slovenia

Region of Inner Carniola, Goriška, Upper Carniola and Lower Carniola
Kras (German: Karst), a plateau in southwestern Slovenia and northeastern Italy, which gave the name to karst topography.

Spain

File:Torcal1.jpg

El Torcal (Antequera – Spain)

Picos de Europa and Basque mountains, northern Spain
Larra-Belagua, Navarre, northern Spain
Serra del Cadí mountain range, Spain
Garraf Massif Natural Park area, Spain
Ciudad Encantada in the province of Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain
El Torcal de Antequera nature preserve, southern Spain

Sweden

Various places in the limestone and marl island of Gotland, most notably the Lummelunda cave system. Depending on definition the stacks of Gotland can be classified as karst.
The Abisko-Torneträsk area in northern Sweden contains several cave systems developed on carbonate stata of the Caledonide nappes.

Switzerland

7,900 square kilometres (3,100 sq mi), or 19% of the surface of Switzerland, is karst, within this area lies the majority of the 7,500 currently known Swiss caves, with an accumulated passage length of more than 1,200 kilometres (750 mi).^{[citation needed]}

Ukraine

Podolia and Bukovina regions in the northeastern edge of the Carpathian Mountains which includes some of the largest gypsum caves in the world, including the Optymistychna Cave, which is over 200,000 meters in length, making it the longest cave in Eurasia, the third longest in the world, and the longest gypsum cave in the world.^{[citation needed]}

United Kingdom

England

White Peak of the Peak District, around Matlock, Castleton^[7] (including Thor's Cave)
Mendip Hills including Cheddar Gorge^[8]
Yorkshire Dales including the Gaping Gill and the Three Counties System.^[9]
Forest of Dean including the Clearwell Caves and Mines^[10]

N. Ireland

Marlbank-Cuilcagh Mountain Region, in County Fermanagh

Scotland

Assynt, southeast Skye and near Kentallen in Scotland, United Kingdom^[11]

Wales

Southern and western regions of the Brecon Beacons National Park^[12]
South Pembrokeshire and Gower
Parts of Flintshire e.g. Esclusham Mountain
Great Orme and adjacent parts of North Wales coast

North America

Canada

Marble Canyon, British Columbia
Monkman Provincial Park, British Columbia
Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Niagara Escarpment, Ontario
Port au Port Peninsula, Newfoundland
Nahanni region in the Northwest Territories
Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta and the Northwest Territories
Avon Peninsula, Nova Scotia
St-Jude, Quebec
Cardinal Creek, Ontario

Mexico

Cenotes of the Yucatán Peninsula
Sótanos of the Sierra Gorda, Querétaro
Cacahuamilpa grottos Guerrero

United States

Alaska

Kosciusko Island, southeastern Alaska

Arizona

Texas Canyon, Cochise County

California

Yosemite area

Illinois

Illinois Caverns State Natural Area and Illinois Sinkhole Plain in Monroe County

Indiana

Mitchell Plain and uplands of southern Indiana

Kentucky

Bluegrass region of Kentucky
Mammoth Cave region

Michigan

Presque Isle County near and around Rogers City
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore near Munising, Michigan

Missouri, Arkansas

Ozark Plateau of Missouri and Arkansas

Nevada

Lehman Caves located within Great Basin National Park in eastern Nevada

New Mexico

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Oklahoma

Arbuckle Mountains and Arbuckle Uplift
Kamas Ranch and Alabaster Cavern area

Oregon

Deschutes River basin

Tennessee

Cumberland Plateau
Grassy Cove Karst Area

Texas

Texas Hill Country, Texas and its northern extensions, including the Palo Pinto Mountains

Utah

Ricks Spring in northeast Utah

Virginia

Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

West Virginia

Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois

Driftless Area of southwest Wisconsin, southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa and northwest Illinois

Central America and Caribbean

Belize

Eastern foothills of Maya Mountains including parts of the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize
Great Blue Hole near the center of Lighthouse Reef, Belize

Cuba

Mogotes in Viñales Valley

Dominican Republic

Los Haitises National Park

Jamaica

Cockpit Country region

Puerto Rico

Karst forest, Puerto Rico (see Geography of Puerto Rico)
Mountains of northwestern Puerto Rico

South America

Chile

Madre de Dios Island and Guarello Island (the world's southernmost limestone mine), Magallanes, Chile

Venezuela

The Sierra de San Luis in Falcón State, location of Haitón del Guarataro, the deepest limestone cave in Venezuela.

Oceania

Australia

Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park and Kintore Caves Conservation Reserve, Katherine, Northern Territory
Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, near Margaret River, south west Western Australia
Northern Swan Coastal Plain, Perth, Western Australia
Naracoorte Caves National Park, South Australia
Jenolan Caves, New South Wales
Wombeyan Caves, New South Wales
Mole Creek Karst National Park, Tasmania
Nullarbor Plain, South Australia and Western Australia
Yarrangobilly Caves area, New South Wales

New Zealand

Takaka Hill, Tasman Region (South Island)
Mount Owen, Tasman Region (South Island)
Waitomo, southern Waikato Region (North Island)
Oparara Basin Arches, Buller District of the West Coast Region (South Island)
Paparoa National Park, West Coast Region (South Island)
Craigieburn area, Canterbury District (South Island)^[13]

Papua New Guinea

Nakanai Mountains, East New Britain

References

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↑ What is Karst, University of Texas at Austin
↑ Geomorphological Landscapes of the World.
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↑ http://carsologica.zrc-sazu.si/downloads/403/dar.pdf
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↑ Castleton, Karst hydrology By Christian Leibundgut, John Gunn, Alain Dassargues, International Association of Hydrological Sciences, 1998, ISBN 1-901502-40-6, accessed June 2009.
↑ Mendip – Longest caves. Ukcaves.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-06-08.
↑ Northern Dales – Longest caves. Ukcaves.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-06-08.
↑ Forest Of Dean –Longest caves. Ukcaves.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-06-08.
↑ Assynt – Longest caves. Ukcaves.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-06-08.
↑ South Wales – Longest caves. Ukcaves.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-06-08.
↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

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[2] What is Karst, University of Texas at Austin

[3] Geomorphological Landscapes of the World.

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[5] ttp://carsologica.zrc-sazu.si/downloads/403/dar.pdf

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[7] Castleton, Karst hydrology By Christian Leibundgut, John Gunn, Alain Dassargues, International Association of Hydrological Sciences, 1998, ISBN 1-901502-40-6, accessed June 2009.

[8] Mendip – Longest caves. Ukcaves.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-06-08.

[9] Northern Dales – Longest caves. Ukcaves.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-06-08.

[10] Forest Of Dean –Longest caves. Ukcaves.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-06-08.

[11] Assynt – Longest caves. Ukcaves.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-06-08.

[12] South Wales – Longest caves. Ukcaves.co.uk. Retrieved on 2011-06-08.

[13] Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

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