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. It has also been documented for weathering-resistant rocks, such as quartzite, given the right conditions. 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
China Area around Guilin and Yangshuo Zhijin Cave, Guizhou (UNESCO World Heritage Site) 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 to 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. 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 second deepest cave), Abkhazia, Georgia
India Borra Cave or Bora Guhalu in Andhra Pradesh. Patal Bhuvaneshwar in Uttarakhand. Yana Caves - Karnataka (Uttar Kanada District)
Indonesia
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 Sangkulirang-Mangkalihat, East Kalimantan Sijunjung, West Sumatra, Indonesia Menui Island, Southest Sulawesi, Indonesia
Israel Avshalom Cave, also known as "Soreq Cave" or "Stalactites Cave", in the Judean hills The Upper Galilee region
Japan Akiyoshi Plateau, Japan Hiraodai Plateau, Japan Okinoerabujima Island and other islets of Ryukyu Islands, Japan Shikoku Karst Prefectural Natural Park (Ehime), Shikoku, Japan
Laos Khammouane, Laos Vang Vieng, Laos
Lebanon
Jeita Grotto, Lebanon Parts of Mount Lebanon
Malaysia Gunung Mulu National Park, Malaysia Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, Langkawi, Malaysia Kinta Valley, Perak, Malaysia Perlis State Park, Perlis, Malaysia Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia
Myanmar Shan State, Kayin State, Kayah State
Palestine West Bank, Palestine
Philippines El Nido, Palawan, Philippines Coron, Palawan, Philippines Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines Chocolate Hills, Bohol, Philippines Osmeña Peak, Cebu, Philippines
South Korea Gangwon-do (South Korea), South Korea Northwestern North Chungcheong Province, South Korea
Thailand Ao Phang Nga National Park, Thailand Krabi region, Thailand Phangnga Bay Area, southern Thailand Doi Nang Non, northern Thailand Cheow Lan Lake, southern 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.
Belgium Fondry des Chiens near Viroinval
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Karst poljes (Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian: krška 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 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 Moravian Karst, Czech Republic Bohemian Karst, Czech Republic
Estonia
France Pyrenees Massif de Larra-Belagua, near Pic d'Anie Pierre-Saint-Martin Arbailles Massif Central Causses (Causse du Larzac,...) French Prealps Sainte-Baume Mont Sainte-Victoire Alpilles Luberon Vaucluse Mountains Dévoluy Mountains Vercors Plateau Chartreuse Mountains Bauges Jura Bugey Pays d'Ouche (Normandy)
Germany 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 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 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 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 North Region, located mostly in Biržai district municipality and Pasvalys district municipality.
Malta Wied iż-Żurrieq and Dingli, West
Montenegro Dinaric Alps region (70% of the territory of Montenegro is Karst)
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 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 Natural Park Serras d'Aire and Candeeiros
Romania Apuseni Mountains, Romania Bucegi Mountains, Romania
Serbia Dinaric Alps region merokarst of eastern Serbia
Slovakia Slovak Paradise, Slovakia Slovak Karst, Slovakia Tatry, Slovakia Nízke Tatry, Slovakia Muránska planina, Slovakia
Slovenia
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
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 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 strata 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).
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.
United Kingdom
England White Peak of the Peak District, around Matlock, Castleton (including Thor's Cave) Mendip Hills including Cheddar Gorge Yorkshire Dales including Gaping Gill and the Three Counties System. Forest of Dean including the Clearwell Caves and Mines
Northern Ireland Marlbank-Cuilcagh Mountain Region, in County Fermanagh
Scotland Assynt southeast Skye near Kentallen
Wales Southern and western regions of the Brecon Beacons National Park 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 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 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 Alaska
Kosciusko Island, southeastern Alaska White Mountains, Interior 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
Edwards Plateau, Texas and its northern extensions, including the Palo Pinto Mountains Utah
Ricks Spring in northeast Utah Virginia
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia West Virginia
Germany Valley Karst Area Smoke Hole Canyon Greenbrier River watershed Swago Karst Area 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
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 Northern Karst of Puerto Rico Southern Karst of Puerto Rico
South America
Brazil Lagoa Santa Karst, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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)
Papua New Guinea Nakanai Mountains, East New Britain
References