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Where are major karst landscapes found around the world?
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Stalactites and stalagmites in the Queen's Chamber, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, southeastern New Mexico.
Approximately 15 percent of the Earth’s land surface is karst, a landscape characterized by soluble bedrock, sinkholes, and underground drainage systems. Because karst forms primarily in carbonate rocks, it is found globally in major sedimentary basins.1
Notable Karst Regions
- North America: Extensive karst occurs in the Interior Low Plateaus of the United States (notably Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana), the Ozark Dome, the Appalachians, and Florida. The Guadalupe Mountains in New Mexico are famous for large-volume caves like Carlsbad Caverns.12
- Europe: The Dinaric Alps along the Balkan Peninsula are a classic karst region. Other significant areas include the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Burren in Ireland, and parts of France and England.12
- Asia: China features renowned tower karst in its southern provinces, such as Yunnan and Hunan.1
- Central America & Caribbean: The Greater Antilles and the Yucatán Peninsula contain spectacular tropical karst landscapes.1
- Other Regions: Karst is also found in the Atlas Mountains of Africa, the Nullarbor Plain in Australia, and various Pacific islands.1