A rock formation is an isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock outcrop. Rock formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock. The term rock formation can also refer to the process of formation of rocks. It is not to be confused with the concept of a geological formation, which represents a unit of strata rather than a topographic feature like rock formations.
A rock structure can be created in any rock type or combination: Igneous rocks are created when molten rock cools and solidifies, with or without crystallisation. They may be either plutonic bodies or volcanic extrusive. Again, erosive forces sculpt their current forms. Metamorphic rocks are created by rocks that have been transformed into another kind of rock, usually by some combination of heat, pressure, and chemical alteration. Sedimentary rocks are created by a variety of processes but usually involving deposition, grain by grain, layer by layer, in water or, in the case of terrestrial sediments, on land through the action of wind or sometimes moving ice. Erosion later exposes them in their current form.
Geologists have created a number of terms to describe different rock structures in the landscape that can be formed by natural processes:
Butte Cliff Cut bank Escarpment Gorge Inselberg, or monadnock Mesa Peak Promontory River cliff Sea cliff Stack Stone run Tor
Here is an incomplete list of rock formations by continent.
Asia Armenia
Geghard Garni Gorge Goris Khndzoresk
China
Yunmeng Mountain National Forest Park, Beijing Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Huangshan, Anhui Province Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, Zhangjiajie, Hunan
Hong Kong Amah Rock, New Territories Lion Rock, New Kowloon/New Territories
Jordan Petra, Amman Wadi Rum Desert
India
Jabalpur Marble Rocks, Madhya Pradesh Rock Formations in Rayalseema Andhra Pradesh, Hampi Karnataka Yana
Israel Rosh Hanikra Timna Arch, Eilat Karnei Hattin
Lebanon Cape Lithoprosopon Raouché, Beirut
Mongolia Turtle Rock, Gorkhi-Terelj National Park, Töv Aimag/Nalaikh
Pakistan Rock formations at Hingol National Park
Thailand Lalu (ละลุ), rock formations caused by erosion at the eastern end of the Sankamphaeng Range in Sa Kaeo Province Phae Mueang Phi ("Ghost Canyon") near Phrae in the Phi Pan Nam Range Phu Phra Bat Buabok in Udon Thani Province
Turkey Paşabağı, Cappadocia Goreme National Park
Other countries
Gobustan National Park, Azerbaijan Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, Mon State, Burma Aphrodite's Rock, Paphos, Cyprus Tanah Lot, Bali, Indonesia Jeti-Ögüz, Jeti-Ögüz district, Kyrgyzstan Tanjong Bunga, Penang, Malaysia Al Naslaa rock formation, Saudi Arabia Long Ya Men, Singapore Seorak-san National Park, Sokcho, South Korea Yehliu, Taiwan Halong Bay, Vietnam
Africa Kenya Tsavo Rocks
Libya Jebel Akhdar
Madagascar Andringitra Massif Tsingy d'Ankarana Tsingy de Bemaraha Tsingy de Namoroka Tsingy Rouge
Mauritania Ben Amera
Namibia Bogenfels
Nigeria Olumo Rock, Abeokuta Riyom Rock, Jos Zuma Rock, Abuja
South Africa Cedarberg Wilderness Area, Western Cape Kagga Kamma, Ceres, Western Cape Three Sisters (Northern Cape)
North America
United States
Canada
Devil's Chair, Lake Superior Provincial Park, Ontario Flowerpot Island, Georgian Bay, Ontario Sleeping Giant, Ontario Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick Gabriola Island, British Columbia Brady's Beach, Bamfield, British Columbia Chimney Rock, Marble Canyon, British Columbia Heron Rocks, Hornby Island, British Columbia Siwash Rock, Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia Percé Rock, Gaspé, Quebec Tete d'Indien, Perce, Gaspé, Quebec Balancing Rock, Long Island, Nova Scotia Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia Banff National Park, Alberta Big Rock, Okotoks, Alberta Drumheller, Alberta Walsh, Alberta, see Medicine Hat, Alberta Main Topsail Hill, near Gaff Topsails, Newfoundland and Labrador Arches, St. Anthony, Newfoundland and Labrador Elephant Rock, Prince Edward Island Giant's Chair, Howard's Cove, Prince Edward Island Victoria Rock, Yukon
Caribbean
Ayo Rock Formations, Aruba Devil's Trail, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands The Baths, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands Coki Beach, St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands Pointe des Châteaux, Grande Terre, Guadeloupe Diamond Rock (Rocher du Diamant), Martinique
Mexico Sierra de Organos National Park, Sombrerete, Zacatecas Piedras Encimadas Valley, Zacatlán, Puebla Peña de Bernal, Bernal, Querétaro Copper Canyon, Chihuahua Los Arcos Rocks, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur Hierve el Agua, San Lorenzo Albarradas
Central America Bosque del Cabo, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica Los Ladrillos, Boquete, Panama
South America
Argentina Quebrada de Humahuaca, Humahuaca Ongamira Valley, Córdoba Ischigualasto, San Juan Province Monte Fitz Roy, El Chalten
Bolivia Dali's Desert, Potosi Valle de Las Rocas, Uyuni Canon de Duene
Brazil Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain), Rio de Janeiro Ponta Grossa, Paraná Pedra do Jacaré (Alligator Stone), São Paulo Dedo de Deus (God's Finger Rock), Serra dos Órgãos, Rio de Janeiro Pedra do Cão Sentado, Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro Pedra da Galinha Choca, Quixadá, Ceará
Chile Valle de la Luna, Antofagasta Playa de la Calabocillos, Constitucion Silla del Diablo
Colombia El Peñón de Guatapé (La Piedra de Peñol), Antioquia Laguna de La Plaza, Sierra Nevada del Cocuy
Ecuador Cerro de Arcos, Loja Pinnacle Rock, Bartolome Island, Galápagos Islands
Falkland Islands Princes Street Stone Run
Paraguay Amambay
Peru Colca Canyon, Arequipa
Uruguay Sierra de Mahoma, San José Cerro Arequita, Lavalleja
Venezuela Tepui, Roraima, Canaima National Park Piedras de San Martin, La Vela de Coro, Estado Falcón
Europe
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina Hajdučka vrata, Čvrsnica mountain
Bulgaria
Basarbovo Monastery, Rousse Belogradchik Rocks Iskar Gorge, Sofia Melnik Earth Pyramids, Melnik Sozopol Wonderful Bridges Golden Bridges ('Zlatnite Mostove'), Vitosha Golyamata Gramada ('Big Pile'), Vitosha Pobiti Kamani
Croatia
Paklenica Bijele stijene (White Rocks) and Samarske stijene (Samar Rocks), Velika Kapela mountain
Czech Republic Teplice nad Metují Medvědí Stezka (Bear's path), Šumava mountains, Klatovy Vraní skála, Brdy Suché skály, Turnov Hruboskalsko
Denmark Bornholm Fur Formation Møns Klint, Møn Gedser Odde, Gedser Stevns Klint, Eastern Zealand Cliffs of Sangstrup, Djursland
Estonia Vormsi island
Finland Närpes Naantali
France Roussillon, Vaucluse Lesconil, Brittany Les Calanche, Corsica Rocher des Doms, Avignon Étretat, Normandy Cassis, near Marseille, Provence Demoiselles Coiffées de Pontis, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Georgia Katskhi Pillar
Germany List of rock formations in the Harz Battert Rocks, Baden-Baden, Black Forest Externsteine Falkenfelsen Lange Anna, Heligoland Rotenfels, Nahe, Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg, Rhineland-Palatinate Teufelsturm, Elbe Sandstone Mountains Wasgau
Greece Meteora Monemvasia Samaria Gorge, Crete Sarti, Sithonia
Gibraltar
Rock of Gibraltar
Bailiwick of Guernsey Les Autelets, Sark, Channel Islands Telegraph Bay, Alderney, Channel Islands
Iceland Vestmannaeyjar Jokulsa Canyon National Park, Mývatn Dimmuborgir, Mývatn Dyrhólaey Eystrahorn, Hvalnes
Ireland Beara Peninsula, Bantry, County Cork Skellig Rocks, Iveragh Peninsula, County Kerry Gap of Dunloe, Killarney, County Kerry Tory Island, County Donegal Achill Island, County Mayo Answering Stone, County Waterford
Italy
Il Gargano, Vieste, Apulia Palmarola, Sicily Pietra di Bismantova, Reggiano Apennines Valle Seriana, Bergamo, Lombardy Golfo di Orosei, Cala Luna, Monte Tiscali, Sardinia Tarpeian Rock The thrown stones, Lazio
Latvia Vidzeme Pusena Kalns, Bartava
North Macedonia Stone town of Kuklica Markovi Kuli
Malta Dwerja, Gozo Dingli Cliffs, Dingli Malta Escarpment (underwater)
Isle of Man Glen Maye, Isle of Man
Norway Skude, Beiningen, Haugaland Geirangerfjord Preikestolen Kjerag Troll Wall Nigardsbreen, part of the larger glacier Jostedalsbreen Sommarøy, Tromsø Jutulhogget (Rondane) Trolltunga
Poland Cudgel of Hercules – monadnock in Ojców National Park Mnich Słoneczna Kościeliska Valley, Western Tatras Dunajec River Gorge, Zakopane
Portugal Ponta da Piedade, Lagos, Algarve Albufeira Porto Moniz, Madeira Ponta de Sao Lourenco, Madeira
Romania
Apuseni Mountains: Detunatele Bucegi Mountains: Babele, The Sphinx Ciucaș Mountains: Porumbelul Bratocei, Colții Bratocei, Turnul Goliat, Babele la sfat, etc. Făgăraş Mountains: Fereastra zmeilor Hășmaș Mountains: Piatra singuratică Piatra Craiului Mountains: La zaplaz, Cerdacul Stanciului, Turnul/Degetul lui Anghelide Gorges: Bicaz Gorge, Turda Gorge, Danube's Iron Gate (includes Babacai Rock), Cheile Dobrogei, Cheile Sohodolului, Cheile Doftanei (aka Brebului) Piatra Secuiului in Alba County Piatra Verde (or Muntele Verde) and the Salt Mountain in Slănic Râpa Roșie
Russia
The Three Brothers, Busani, Buryatia Kamen Shahtai, Lake Baikal Kisilyakh Range, Yakutia, topped by kigilyakh formations Kisilyakh-Tas, Yakutia, topped by kigilyakh formations Kontalaksky Golets, Zabaykalsky Krai Kyun-Tas, Yakutia, topped by kigilyakh formations Lena Cheeks, Irkutsk Oblast Lena Pillars, Yakutia Monrepo Park, Vyborg, St. Petersburg Stolby National Park, Krasnoyarsk Krai Sail Rock, Krasnodar Krai Taganay National Park, Chelyabinsk Ulakhan-Sis, Yakutia, topped by kigilyakh formations
Serbia
Đavolja Varoš (Devil's Town)The Djavolja Varos (Devil's Town) Natural Landmark, UNESCO World Heritage Prskalo waterfall, Kučaj mountains Vratna Gates three natural stone bridges Đavoljev kamen near Trgovište
Spain Acantilados de Los Gigantes, Tenerife Island, Canary Islands Los Roques de Garcia, Tenerife Island, Canary Islands Las Canades, Tenerife Island, Canary Islands Ciudad Encantada, Castilla–La Mancha Picuezo and Picueza, Autol, La Rioja Fuente de los Azulejos, Gran Canaria Island, Canary Islands El Torcal de Antequera and Peña de los Enamorados, Antequera, Andalusia, a World Heritages Sites Roque Nublo, Gran Canaria Island, Canary Islands Montserrat, Catalonia Roques de Benet, Ports de Beseit, Catalonia Los Callejones de Las Majadas, Serranía de Cuenca, Castile-La Mancha El Guerrero Romano, Sierra Carrascosa, Aragon Mallos de Riglos, Las Peñas de Riglos, Aragon Peña Bajenza in La Rioja Las Médulas, Province of León, site of Roman gold mines La Peña, Arcos de la Frontera, Andalusia Peñón de Ifach, Calpe, Valencian Community
Sweden The islands Gotland, Fårö and Öland have many coastal stretches with stack formations. Busten, Glaskogens Nature Reserve, Kalleboda Stegborgsgarden, Stegborg Stenhamra, Uppland
Switzerland Mount Pilatus Val dal Botsch
Slovakia
Lehotské skaly, near Handlová Haligovské skaly, near Stará Ľubovňa Súľovské skaly (part of the Súľovské vrchy Mountains) Zelené Pleso Valley (in the High Tatras) Devin Castle, Devin
Ukraine Hoverla, Carpathian Mountains Nikita, Ukraine, Yalta Skaly Taraktasky, Crimea Karadag, Crimea Cape Fiolent, Sevastopol
United Kingdom
Oceania
Australia
The Three Sisters, Katoomba – Blue Mountains, New South Wales Devils Marbles, Northern Territory Kata Tjuta, also known as The Olgas, Northern Territory Rainbow Valley, Northern Territory Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, Northern Territory Murphys Haystacks, Nullarbor Desert, South Australia Remarkable Rocks, South Australia Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Victoria Mount Augustus, Western Australia Pinnacles Desert, Nambung National Park, Western Australia Wave Rock, Hyden, Western Australia
New Zealand
Castle Hill Basin, Canterbury Koutu Boulders, Hokianga Māori Bay giant pillow lava, Muriwai Lion Rock, Piha