Can You Name These Geographical Formations?

By: Kennita Leon
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Name These Geographical Formations?
Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

Geographical formations or features exist in two forms: man-made and natural creations. The natural geographical formations include ecosystems and landforms such as the Karst towers in China and the Great Smoky Mountains in the USA. Natural land forms include elements such as mountains, volcanoes, hills, cliff and valleys, all of which you'll find in this quiz. 

Man-made or artificial geographical formations or features, on the other hand, can be settlements or engineered constructs like dams, bridges and airports.  And while these are interesting in their own right, they don't make too many appearances in this quiz (that was a hint for you!). 

We've searched the world for some of the most famous and well-visited sites and come up with more than a few locations with amazing geographical formations. They include locations such as Pamukkale, Skaftafell, the Grand Canyon, the Great Blue Hole, the Devil's Tower and the Door to Hell, as well as Fingal's Cave. 

So, if you think you're enough of a world traveler to identify these places from a single picture, go ahead and take a stab at this quiz. Not only will it challenge you, but it'll show just how much you've been paying attention to some of the most beautiful and naturally-created places in the world. 

Moeraki Boulders
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Statue of Liberty
St. Basil’s Cathedral
Moeraki Boulders
Found along the Otago coast of New Zealand, the Moeraki boulders, so named due to their proximity to Moeraki, are large, spherical boulders exposed by erosion of mudstone.
The Great Sphinx

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Mount Roraima- Venezuela
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Blue Domed Church
Mount Roraima
Lying on the border of Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana, Mount Roraima is a tepui plateau believed to have been formed over two billion years ago.
The Little Mermaid
Windmills at Kinderdijk

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The Danakil Depression
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Taj Mahal
Machu Picchu
Big Ben
Danakil Depression
The northern part of the Afar Triangle found in Ethiopia, the Danakil Depression was the result of tectonic plate divergence, inundation by the sea and erosion.

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Socotra Island – Yemen
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Socotra Island
Situated in the Arabian Sea and considered "the most alien-looking place on earth" due to its unique plant life, the island of Socotra is the largest of four islands which form the Socotra archipelago.
Neptune and the Palace of Versailles
The Burj al Arab Hotel
Tower of Pisa

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White Desert – Egypt
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Mecca
Hagia Sophia
Acropolis
White Desert
Created by sandstorms in Farafra, Egypt, the White Desert, a popular destination among school-goers in the area, constitutes of remarkable chalk formations of white and cream.

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Thrihnukagigur Volcano
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Thrihnukagigur Volcano
Discovered by explorer Anni B Stefansson in 1974, the Thrihnukagigur volcano of Iceland is a dormant volcano of 32,500 square feet.
The Eiffel Tower
The Great Wall of China
St. Basil’s Cathedral

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Pamukkale Travertine Terraces (Cotton Castle)
Youtube
Which formation is this?
Pamukkale
A marvelous collection of natural, overlaying thermal pools, Pamukkale is a World Heritage Site and popular tourist attraction.
Blue Domed Church
The Great Sphinx
The Pyramids of Giza

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Fairy Chimneys – Turkey
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Brandenburg Gate
The Statue of Liberty
Fairy Chimneys
Formed by the erosion of hardened ash, the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia were originally carved and used as a refuge by persecuted Christians.
Sagrada Familia

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Upper_Jeita_Grotto
kcakduman via Wiki Commons
Which formation is this?
The Burj al Arab Hotel
Machu Picchu
Christ the Redeemer
The Jeita Grotto
The Jeita Grotto, found in Lebanon, consists of two limestone caves more than nine kilometers in length. The world's largest stalactite is found here.

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The Giant’s Causeway
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Tower of Pisa
The Giant Causeway
As legend tells it, the basalt pillars, which form the Giant Causeway on the coast of Ireland, are the remains of a causeway built by giant Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Mont St. Michel
The Little Mermaid

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Danxia Landform
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Windmills at Kinderdijk
Danxia Landform
Created by the erosion of red sandstone, the Danxia Landform, also known as "the eye candy of Zhangye," is made up of several red cliffs and colorful strata.
Neptune and the Palace of Versailles
The Taj Mahal

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Skaftafell – Iceland
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Big Ben
The Great Wall of China
Blue Domed Church
Skaftafell
Once a thriving farming area, Skaftafell landscape, which strongly resembles the Alps, was formed by a combination of volcanic eruptions and water.

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Fly Geyser
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Great Sphinx
The Eiffel Tower
Fly Geyser
Named after Fly Ranch, Nevada, where it is situated, the remarkable Fly Geyser was created by accident in 1964. The geyser has continued to grow since then.
The Pyramids of Giza

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Puerto Princesa Underground River
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Machu Picchu
Puerto Princesa Underground River
Hailed as one of the seven wonders of nature in 2012, the Puerto Princes Underground River is an underground river 8.2km in length.
Mecca
St. Basil’s Cathedral

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Reed Flute Cave
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Reed Flute Cave
Found in China, the Reed Flute Cave or "Palace of Natural Arts" is a limestone cave formed millions of years ago. It is named after the flute reeds which grow at the entrance.
The Statue of Liberty
The Burj al Arab Hotel
Hagia Sophia

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Grand Canyon
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Brandenburg Gate
Christ the Redeemer
Grand Canyon
A popular attraction in the United States, the Grand Canyon was created by the erosion of layers of rock by the Colorado River which runs through it.
Sagrada Familia

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Yellowstone National Park
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Great Wall of China
Blue Domed Church
Fumaroles
The term fumaroles is used to refer to several steam vents which can be found in the Yellowstone National Park.
Big Ben

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World of Ice Giants
HörWi via Youtube
Which formation is this?
World of Ice Giants
The world's largest ice cave found in Austria, the World of Ice Giants is known in German as Eisriesenwelt. It is a natural limestone and ice cave.
The Taj Mahal
Machu Picchu
Tower of Pisa

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Mono Lake – California
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Neptune and the Palace of Versailles
The Little Mermaid
St. Basil’s Cathedral
Mono Lake
Located in Mono County, California, after which it is named, the Mono Lake is a large saline lake. As a result of the accumulation of salt, the lake is also alkaline.

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Australian Wave Rocks
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Pyramids of Giza
Australian Wave Rocks
Traditionally believed to have been created by the Rainbow Serpent, the Wave Rock of Perth, Australia is a towering wall similar in appearance to a breaking wave.
The Statue of Liberty
The Great Sphinx

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Great Blue Hole
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Mecca
Windmills at Kinderdijk
Great Blue Hole
A World Heritage Site, the Great Blue Hole is a large submarine sinkhole formed thousands of years ago by quaternary glaciation. It is found off the coast of Belize.
The Burj al Arab Hotel

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Devils Tower National Monument
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Devil's Tower
Reaching a marvelous 867 feet in height, Devil's Tower, also known as the Bear Lodge Butte, is found in Wyoming. It got its name from misinterpretation.
Blue Domed Church
Brandenburg Gate
Sagrada Familia

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Icy Tower Erebus
Jiri VonDrak via Youtube
Which formation is this?
Ice Towers
The ice towers of Eremus are ice caves which form around fumaroles found on Mount Erebus, the tallest and most active volcano of Antarctica.
The Great Wall of China
Big Ben
Mont St. Michel

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The Wave – Arizona
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Christ the Redeemer
Machu Picchu
St. Basil’s Cathedral
The Wave Arizona
Intersecting troughs formed by erosion, The Wave found in Arizona is a popular destination for photographers and hikers due to its artistic appearance and difficult trail.

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Ha Long Bay
shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Taj Mahal
The Eiffel Tower
The Little Mermaid
Ha Long Bay
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Ha Long Bay consists of several limestone karsts and isles. It lies between the Bia Tu Long Bay and Cat Ba Island.

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Gibson Steps (The Twelve Apostles)
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Great Sphinx
Gibson Steps (The Twelve Apostles)
Carved by and named after Hugh Gibson, the Gibson Steps are situated in the cliff along the Australian coast where the Twelve Apostles are located.
The Pyramids of Giza
The Burj al Arab Hotel

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Bungle Bungle Range
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Statue of Liberty
Neptune and the Palace of Versailles
Bungle Bungle Range
Formed by weathering and active faults millions of years ago, the Bungle Bungle Range is a collection of sandstone domes.
Tower of Pisa

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Crystal Cave
Alexander Van Driessche via Wiki Commons
Which formation is this?
Cave of Crystals
Discovered by brothers Eloy and Javier Delgado, the Cave of Crystals, Mexico despite being a natural wonder, is not a popular tourist attraction due to its high internal temperature.
Windmills at Kinderdijk
Blue Domed Church
Mecca

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Eye_Of_The_Sahara_Mauritania
Axelspace Corporation via Wiki Commons
Which formation is this?
Hagia Sophia
Eye of Sahara
A galaxy on land, the Richat Structure, or Eye of Sahara as it is more commonly known, is an eroded, geological dome of igneous rock.
Big Ben
Sagrada Familia

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Tsingy de Bemaraha
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Little Mermaid
St. Basil’s Cathedral
Tsingy de Behamara
Distinguished by sharp limestone formations needle-like in shape, the Tsingy de Behamara were formed by vertical and horizontal erosion.
The Taj Mahal

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Door To Hell – Turkmenistan
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Great Wall of China
The Eiffel Tower
The Great Sphinx
Door to Hell
Ablaze since 1991, the Door to Hell or Gate of Hell is a crater of natural gas (methane) found in Turkmenistan. The gas was ignited to prevent it from spreading.

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Pancake Rocks and Blowholes
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Brandenburg Gate
The Burj al Arab Hotel
Machu Picchu
Pancake Rocks and Blowholes
Situated in the village of Punakaiki, New Zealand, the Pancake Rocks are an area of eroded limestone through which blowholes form during high tide.

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Chocolate Hills – Philippines
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Pyramids of Giza
Neptune and the Palace of Versailles
Mecca
Chocolate Hills
What may appear as a group of normal hills during the wet season, the Chocolate Hills turn into a chocolate brown during the dry season.

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Monument Valley
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Statue of Liberty
Windmills at Kinderdijk
Monument Valley
A picturesque scene often used in movies to represent western America, the Monument Valley found along the Utah-Arizona border features several sandstone buttes of great heights.
Tower of Pisa

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Bryce Canyon National Park / Do You Know If These Places Are in Canada or the U.S. 1
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Hagia Sophia
Bryce Canyon National Park
The Bryce Canyon National Park is perhaps best-known for the Bryce Canyon; a collection of amphitheaters created by the weathering and erosion of sedimentary rock.
Christ the Redeemer
Mont St. Michel

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Salar De Uyuni
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Salar de Uyuni
One of the world's largest lithium reserves, the Salar de Uyuni found in Bolivia is the world's largest salt flat.
St. Basil’s Cathedral
The Great Sphinx
The Taj Mahal

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Twyfelfontein Organ Pipes
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Little Mermaid
Blue Domed Church
Big Ben
Twyfelfontein Organ Pipes
A collection of vertical columns found in Namibia, the Twyfelfontein Organ Pipes were formed by molten rock.

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Fingal’s Cave
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
The Burj al Arab Hotel
Fingal's Cave
A collection of hexagonal, basalt columns, Fingal's Cave found on the Island of Staffa, Scotland, is a sea cave discovered in 1772.
The Great Wall of China
Machu Picchu

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Na Pali Coast
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Windmills at Kinderdijk
Na Pali Coast
The Na Pali Coast first settled by Polynesians in 1200 AD is found along the coast of the oldest inhabited island of Hawaii; Kaua'i.
The Pyramids of Giza
Neptune and the Palace of Versailles

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Stone Forest – China
Shutterstock
Which formation is this?
Blue Domed Church
The Eiffel Tower
The Statue of Liberty
Stone Forest
A group of limestone formations, the Stone Forest or Shilin of China was so named due to the similarity between the rocks and petrified trees.

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You Got:
/40
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