New 7 Wonders of Nature

New 7 Wonders of Nature (2007–2011) was an initiative started in 2007 to create a list of seven natural wonders chosen by people through a global poll. It was the second in a series of Internet-based polls led by Swiss-born Canadian Bernard Weber[1][2] and organized by the New 7 Wonders Foundation,[3] a Swiss-based foundation which Weber founded. The initiative followed an earlier New 7 Wonders of the World campaign, and attracted 100 million votes from around the world before voting finished on November 11, 2011.[4]

A map indicating the location of the 28 finalists (red dots) and the 42 other candidates currently on the reserve list (black dots).

Stages of the campaign

Plaque at Table Mountain

The New 7 Wonders of Nature campaign started in 2007, immediately after the campaign to elect the man-made New 7 Wonders of the World, in which more than 100 million votes were cast. From over 440 participants representing over 220 countries and through a national qualification and race to become one of the Top 77, as well as the recommendations of the Panel of Experts led by Prof. Federico Mayor, the list of 28 "Official Finalist Candidates" was determined. Voting until November 2011, during which time the New 7 Wonders World Tour planned to visit each of the finalists to allow them to present themselves to the voters across the globe.[5]

Criticisms

Indonesia's Vice-Minister for Tourism said the company running the New 7 Wonders campaign used underhanded tactics, threatening to remove Indonesia's Komodo National Park from the list if Indonesia refused to host a declaration ceremony for $35M.[6] Nothing in the New 7 Wonders voting procedure prohibited repetitive voting, making the results subject to government and tourism industry campaigns to vote often for local sites with the financial incentive of increased tourism. Although New 7 Wonders is a non-profit organization that under US law has absolutely no disclosure of accounts, many activities related to administering voting and other logistical duties are run by the for-profit organization New Open World Corporation.

In South Korea, over the past four years, millions of Koreans and non-Koreans at home and abroad were encouraged by the central and Jeju provincial governments to make phone calls to vote and help the island win the designation. Employees of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province of South Korea made hundreds of millions of international phone calls to ensure Jeju island was selected as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature in a worldwide poll. The payments estimated to be about 20 billion won ($17 million).[7]

Winners

Site(s) Country/Countries Image
Amazon Rainforest and River  Brazil,  Bolivia  Colombia,  Ecuador,  French Guiana (France),  Guyana,  Peru,  Suriname,  Venezuela
Hạ Long Bay  Vietnam
Jeju Island  South Korea
Iguazú / Iguaçu Falls  Argentina,  Brazil,
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park  Philippines
Komodo Island (National Park)  Indonesia
Table Mountain (National Park)  South Africa

Finalists

Site Country Image
Bu Tinah Shoals  United Arab Emirates
Dead Sea  Jordan  Israel
Great Barrier Reef  Australia
Jeita Grotto  Lebanon
Kilimanjaro (National Park)  Tanzania
Masurian Lake District  Poland
Sundarbans  Bangladesh
Maldives  Maldives
Angel Falls  Venezuela
Bay of Fundy (National Park)  Canada
Black Forest  Germany
Cliffs of Moher  Ireland
El Yunque  Puerto Rico
Galapagos Islands (National Park)  Ecuador
Grand Canyon (National Park)  United States
Matterhorn / Cervino  Italy,   Switzerland
Milford Sound  New Zealand
Mud Volcanoes  Azerbaijan
Uluru (National Park)  Australia
Vesuvius (National Park)  Italy
Yushan (National Park)  Taiwan

Top 77[8]

Site Country
Al-hasa Oasis  Saudi Arabia
Askania-Nova  Ukraine
Atacama Desert  Chile
Azure Window  Malta
Belogradchik Rocks  Bulgaria
Bialowieza Forest  Belarus/  Poland
Chicamocha Canyon  Colombia
Christmas Island  Christmas Island
Coatepeque Lake  El Salvador
Cocos Island  Costa Rica
Colca Canyon  Peru
Conchi  Aruba
Cox's Bazar  Bangladesh
Dean's Blue Hole  Bahamas
Djavolja Varos  Serbia
Douro River  Portugal
Eisriesenwelt  Austria
Fernando de Noronha  Brazil
Han-Sur-Lesse  Belgium
Kaieteur Falls  Guyana
Kaziranga National Park  India
Laguna Colorada  Bolivia
Lake Atitlan  Guatemala
Lake Bled  Slovenia
Lake Ohrid  Albania/  Macedonia (North Macedonia)
Lake Saiful Maluk  Pakistan
Lake Saimaa  Finland
Lake Titicaca  Bolivia/  Peru
Mount Olympus  Greece
Norfolk Island (National Park)  Norfolk Island
Ometepe Island  Nicaragua
Platano Forest  Honduras
Pravcice Gate  Czech Republic
Retezat (National Park)  Romania
Rock of Aphrodite  Cyprus
Sinharaja Rainforest  Sri Lanka
Sipadan Island  Malaysia
Sossusvlei  Namibia
Štrbské Pleso Lake  Slovakia
Sumidero Canyon  Mexico
Thy National Park  Denmark
Vrelo Caves  Macedonia (North Macedonia)
Wadi Rum  Jordan

See also

References

  1. "The project founder Bernard Weber - A Short History - World of New7Wonders". World of New7Wonders. Archived from the original on 2014-06-06. Retrieved 2013-03-08.
  2. "The project founder". About New7Wonders. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  3. "Learn about New 7 Wonders". World of New 7 Wonders.
  4. "Voting procedure". World of New7Wonders. Archived from the original on 2013-03-31.
  5. The top 77
  6. "Controversy mars Seven Wonders of Nature list". aljazeera.com.
  7. "Jeju defers payment of phone bills for seven wonders". The Korea Times. December 14, 2011.
  8. "Top77: New7Wonders of Nature". New7Wonders of Nature. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
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