20 record-breaking natural wonders around the world

Caroline FoxJun 5, 2020, 23:43 IST

Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall by volume.Mike Hutchings/Reuters

Across the world, natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Amazon rainforest demonstrate Mother Nature's power and beauty.
Some of these natural wonders have also broken records — their size, height, or length reigns supreme.
Victoria Falls is the largest waterfall by volume, the Dead Sea is the lowest exposed land on Earth, and Praia do Cassino is the longest beach.

Across the world, natural wonders promote our planet's biodiversity, stabilize our climate, and support human life. And as far as breaking records go, Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with.

While some record-breaking natural wonders were discovered centuries ago, others, like the world's largest cave, weren't discovered until more recently.

From Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain, to Frying Pan Lake, the largest hot spring, these wonders demonstrate nature's record-breaking capabilities.

The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the world's largest coral reef system.

The Great Barrier Reef is also home to the world's largest collection of coral. Shutterstock/Edward Haylan

Angel Falls in Venezuela is the tallest waterfall in the world at 3,212 feet high.

Angel Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Vadim Petrakov/Shutterstock

While Victoria Falls is not the tallest, it does hold the record for the largest waterfall by volume.

Victoria Falls is sometimes referred to as the greatest curtain of falling water in the world. Torsten Reuter/Shutterstock

Another enormous, record-holding body of water is Lake Baikal in Russia, which is the world's largest and deepest lake.

Lake Baikal is located in south-central Russia. Nikitin Victor/Shutterstock

The Nile River is 4,160 miles long, earning the title of the world's longest river.

The Nile River is home to plenty of archaeological sites along its banks. Nebojsa Markovic/Shutterstock

Frying Pan Lake in New Zealand is the world's largest hot spring.

Frying Pan Lake looks like a boiling cauldron. Filip Fuxa/Shutterstock

Geysers are already a rare natural phenomenon. In Wyoming, you can find Steamboat Geyser, the tallest active geyser in the world.

The last eruption was on April 2, 2020. Kate_N/Shutterstock

Also in the US is Mount Kilauea, the world's most active volcanic mass.

The area of Mount Kilauea is about 4 square miles. Ishigaki Taira/Shutterstock

Iceland holds the record for the world's largest volcanic island.

Iceland experiences a major volcanic event about every five years. Homo Cosmicos / Shutterstock

Antarctica is home to the largest and fastest moving glacier in the world.

Sea ice is seen from NASA's Operation IceBridge research aircraft in the Antarctic Peninsula region above Antarctica. Mario Tama/Getty Images

In 1953, the Kutiah Glacier in Pakistan set the record for the fastest glacial surge.

The Karakoram mountain range attracts daring mountaineers drawn to the challenging peaks. AMELIE HERENSTEIN / AFP/Getty Images

Asia is also home to the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest.

Mount Everest was first climbed on May 29, 1953. Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images

While Mount Everest reaches the highest altitude, the tallest mountain, Mauna Kea, is located in Hawaii.

Mauna Kea catches the early morning sunlight over its peak. Sakkawokkie/Getty Images

Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is a dormant volcano and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world.

The blue monkey can be found living in the surrounding area near the mountain. Juergen_Wallstabe/Shutterstock

The Dead Sea, landlocked between Israel and Jordan, is the lowest exposed land on Earth.

The Dead Sea receives the majority of its water from the Jordan River. Olesya Baron/Shutterstock

Brazil is home to the world's longest beach, which is estimated to be 152 miles.

Be prepared for a very long walk on the beach. MiniLab/Shutterstock

A portion of the world's largest rainforest, the Amazon, is also located in Brazil.

One in 10 known species on Earth can be found in the Amazon rainforest. Ignacio Palacios/Getty Images

The General Sherman Tree, found in Sequoia National Park, holds the record for the world's largest tree.

General Sherman. Simon Dannhauer/Shutterstock

The world's largest mangrove forest is in Bangladesh.

The Sundarbans are formed at the junction of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna Rivers. Emdadul Hoque Topu/Shutterstock

Located in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam, Hang Son Doong Cave is over 3 miles long, making it the largest cave in the world.

Hang Son Doong Cave didn't open to the public until 2013. hyunwoong park

Roger Federer is the world's highest-paid athlete for the first time ever. Here's how he earned $106 million last year.

Cookies on the Business Insider India website