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, but also in gypsum.^[1] It has also been documented for weathering-resistant rocks, such as quartzite, given the right conditions.^[2] This is an incomplete list of the major karst landscape areas of the world.

Africa[edit]

Madagascar[edit]

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

South Africa[edit]

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

Asia[edit]

Phong Nha Cave in Phong Nha-Ke Bang, Vietnam

China[edit]

Area around Guilin and Yangshuo
Jiuzhaigou Valley and Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area, (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Shaanxi tiankeng cluster, discovered in 2016, it is one of the largest in the world comprising forty-nine sinkholes and more than fifty funnels ranging from 50–100 metres in diameter.
South China Karst, World Heritage Site
Stone Forest
Xiaozhai Tiankeng, also known as the Heavenly Pit, is the world's largest sinkhole.^[3]
Zhangjiajie National Forest park, forming part of the Wulingyuan scenic area, World Heritage Site
Wulong Karst, Wulong County, Chongqing Municipality

Georgia[edit]

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

India[edit]

Borra Cave or Bora Guhalu in Andhra Pradesh. Patal Bhuvaneshwar in Uttarakhand.

Yana Caves -Karnatka (Uttar Kanada District)

Indonesia[edit]

Ajamaru Plateau, West Papua, Indonesia
Gombong Selatan, Central Java, Indonesia
Gunung Sewu, Indonesia
Rammang-Rammang, in the Bantimurung - Bulusaraung National Park in (Maros Regency) Indonesia, known as The Spectacular Tower Karst Area^[4]
Sangkulirang-Mangkalihat, East Kalimantan
Sijunjung, West Sumatra, Indonesia

Israel and Palestine[edit]

Avshalom Cave, also known as "Soreq Cave" or "Stalactites Cave", in the Judean hills ^[5]
Ofra region, Palestinian territories
The Upper Galilee region ^[6]

Malaysia[edit]

Myanmar[edit]

Shan State,^[7] Kayin State, Kayah State^[8]

Palestine[edit]

Ofra region, Palestinian territories

Philippines[edit]

South Korea[edit]

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

Thailand[edit]

Taiwan[edit]

Kenting National Park, Taiwan

Turkey[edit]

Taşeli, Turkey

Vietnam[edit]

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[edit]

Albania[edit]

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

Austria[edit]

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.

Belgium[edit]

Fondry des Chiens near Viroinval

Bosnia and Herzegovina[edit]

Karst poljes (Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian: kraška polja)

Popovo polje in Herzegovina region of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Livanjsko polje (405 km² (156 sq mi)), 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[edit]

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

Croatia[edit]

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[edit]

Estonia[edit]

France[edit]

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[edit]

Franconian Switzerland, Upper Franconia, Bavaria
Hönnetal at Balve
South Harz and Kyffhaeuser Gypsum Karst
Swabian Alb region in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg

Hungary[edit]

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[edit]

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

Italy[edit]

Gargano, in Apulia, northern
Murge, in Apulia and Basilicata, southern
Carso (Slovene: Kras)(German: Karst), 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

Lithuania[edit]

North Region, located mostly in Biržai district municipality and Pasvalys district municipality.

Malta[edit]

Wied iż-Żurrieq and Dingli, West

Montenegro[edit]

Dinaric Alps region (70% of the territory of Montenegro is Karst)

Poland[edit]

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 and the deepest cave in Poland
Králický Sněžník Mountains with the largest cave outside Tatra Mountains, Jaskinia Niedźwiedzia
Kaczawskie Mountains small region near the town Wojcieszów

Portugal[edit]

Natural Park Serras d'Aire and Candeeiros

Romania[edit]

Serbia[edit]

Dinaric Alps region
merokarst of eastern Serbia

Slovakia[edit]

Slovenia[edit]

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

Spain[edit]

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
El Cerro del Hierro, in Sevilla, southern Spain

Sweden[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

England[edit]

White Peak of the Peak District, around Matlock, Castleton^[9] (including Thor's Cave)
Mendip Hills including Cheddar Gorge^[10]
Yorkshire Dales including Gaping Gill and the Three Counties System.^[11]
Forest of Dean including the Clearwell Caves and Mines^[12]

Northern Ireland[edit]

Marlbank-Cuilcagh Mountain Region, in County Fermanagh

Scotland[edit]

Assynt^[13]
southeast Skye
near Kentallen

Wales[edit]

Southern and western regions of the Brecon Beacons National Park^[14]
South Pembrokeshire and Gower
Parts of Flintshire e.g. Esclusham Mountain
Great Orme and adjacent parts of North Wales coast

North America[edit]

Canada[edit]

Marble Canyon, British Columbia
Monkman Provincial Park, British Columbia
Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Niagara Escarpment, Ontario
The Napanee Limestone Plain, 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

Mexico[edit]

Cenotes of the Yucatán Peninsula
Sótanos of the Sierra Gorda, Querétaro
Cacahuamilpa grottos, Guerrero
Chiapas Plateau, Chiapas
- Nahá–Metzabok
Sierra de Tamaulipas
- Zacatón

United States[edit]

Alaska

Kosciusko Island, southeastern Alaska

Arizona

Texas Canyon, Cochise County

Florida

Much of Florida’s landscape is composed of “karst” landforms. Florida Karst Topography
Florida Karst Resources

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

South Dakota

Black Hills (Wind Cave, Jewel Cave)

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 western Wisconsin, southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa and northwest Illinois
Niagara Escarpment of the Eastern Ridges and Lowlands region of eastern Wisconsin, especially around Green Bay on the Door Peninsula and Potawatomi Islands

Central America and Caribbean[edit]

Belize[edit]

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[edit]

Mogotes in Viñales Valley

Dominican Republic[edit]

Los Haitises National Park

Jamaica[edit]

Cockpit Country region

Puerto Rico[edit]

South America[edit]

Brazil[edit]

Lagoa Santa Karst, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Chile[edit]

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

Venezuela[edit]

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

Oceania[edit]

Australia[edit]

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[edit]

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)^[15]

Papua New Guinea[edit]

Nakanai Mountains, East New Britain

References[edit]

^ "Glossary of Cave and Karst Terms". Speleogenesis Information Network. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
^ Geomorphological Landscapes of the World.
^ "Xiaozhai Tiankeng sinkhole". Virtual Globetrotting. 3 November 2011. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
^ "Wisata Gua Salukangkallang yang Menantang". Archived from the original on January 9, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
^ "Stalactite Cave Nature Reserve". Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
^ Gerson, Ran (February 1974). "Karst processes of the eastern upper Galilee, Northern Israel". Journal of Hydrology. 21 (2): 131–152. Bibcode:1974JHyd...21..131G. doi:10.1016/0022-1694(74)90033-X.
^ Joerg Dreybrodt and Helmut Steiner, 'Karst and caves of the Shan plateau in Myanmar', November 2015.
^ Marie Starr, 'Exploring Myanmar's vast network of limestone caves', Frontier, 13 April 2018.
^ 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.
^ "Cave Stream Scenic Reserve". Department of Conservation. Retrieved 24 April 2014.

[speleo-glossary-1] "Glossary of Cave and Karst Terms". Speleogenesis Information Network. Retrieved 2009-05-04.

[2] Geomorphological Landscapes of the World.

[Map_of_Xiaozhai_Tiankeng-3] "Xiaozhai Tiankeng sinkhole". Virtual Globetrotting. 3 November 2011. Retrieved 2013-04-07.

[4] "Wisata Gua Salukangkallang yang Menantang". Archived from the original on January 9, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2012.

[5] "Stalactite Cave Nature Reserve". Israel Nature and Parks Authority. Retrieved 8 February 2018.

[6] Gerson, Ran (February 1974). "Karst processes of the eastern upper Galilee, Northern Israel". Journal of Hydrology. 21 (2): 131–152. Bibcode:1974JHyd...21..131G. doi:10.1016/0022-1694(74)90033-X.

[7] Joerg Dreybrodt and Helmut Steiner, 'Karst and caves of the Shan plateau in Myanmar', November 2015.

[8] Marie Starr, 'Exploring Myanmar's vast network of limestone caves', Frontier, 13 April 2018.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[15] "Cave Stream Scenic Reserve". Department of Conservation. Retrieved 24 April 2014.

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