- New7Wonders of Nature
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For other meanings of this and similar phrases, see Wonders of the World (disambiguation).
A map indicating the location of the 28 finalists (red dots) and the 42 other candidates currently on the reserve list (black dots).
New7Wonders 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 led by Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber[1] and organized by the New7Wonders Foundation,[2] a Swiss-based, government-controlled foundation. The initiative followed the New7Wonders of the World, which attracted 100 million votes from around the world.
Voting continued until Nov. 11, 2011, when the list was announced.[3]
Contents
Stages of the campaign
The New7Wonders of Nature campaign started in 2007, immediately after the campaign to elect the man-made New7Wonders 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 New7Wonders World Tour planned to visit each of the finalists to allow them to present themselves to the voters across the globe.
Criticisms
Indonesia's Vice-Minister for Tourism said the company running the New7Wonders 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.[4] Nothing in the New7Wonders 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. Philippine president Benigno Simeon Aquino III, in his speech during the official proclamation launch of the Puerto Princesa underground river as one of the 28 finalists, urged the country's 80 million cellphone subscribers to vote PPUR via text. "We send two billion text messages a day, all we need is one billion text votes for the Puerto Princesa Underground River so (we can accomplish) that in half a day," the President said. "I urge everyone to vote to the maximum for the Puerto Princesa Underground River as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature" he reiterated.[5]
Provisional winners
Site Country Image Amazon Rainforest and River 
Bolivia, 
Brazil, 
Colombia, 
Ecuador, 
France (French Guiana), 
Guyana, 
Peru, 
Suriname, 
Venezuela
Halong Bay 
Vietnam
Iguazu / Iguaçu Falls (National Park) 
Argentina, Brazil
Jeju Island 
South Korea
Komodo Island (National Park) 
Indonesia
Puerto Princesa Underground River 
Philippines
Table Mountain (National Park) 
South Africa
Other 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 (National Park) 
Bangladesh, 
India
The 28 finalists
Site Country Image 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
Maldives 
Maldives
Matterhorn / Cervino 
Italy, 
Switzerland
Milford Sound 
New Zealand
Mud Volcanoes 
Azerbaijan
Uluru (National Park) Australia
Vesuvius (National Park) Italy
Yushan (National Park) 
Taiwan
See also
- New 7 Wonders of the World
- Wonders of the World
References
- ^ The project founder Bernard Weber - A Short History
- ^ The New7Wonders Foundation & Campaign
- ^ new7wonders.com, Voting procedure for the New7Wonders of Nature
- ^ aljazeera.com, Controversy mars Seven Wonders of Nature list
- ^ gmanews.tv, Aquino leads online voting for Puerto Princesa underground river
External links
Categories:- Cultural lists
- Nature-related lists
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