Table Mountain – One of the 7 Natural Wonders!

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Table Mountain is one of the New7Wonders of Nature!

Table Mountain has been announced as one of the New7Wonders of Nature along with the Amazon, Halong Bay, Iguazu Falls, Jeju Island, Komodo and Puerto Princesa Underground River.

In 2008, Table Mountain was identified as one of 440 magnificent natural sites selected by the New7Wonders Foundation to enter the three-phase New7Wonders of Nature contest. In the second phase, Table Mountain made the 77 site shortlist before being publicly voted onto a final shortlist of 28 sites in July 2009. Today Table Mountain was selected as one of the final seven.

With this accolade, Table Mountain, Cape Town and South Africa can anticipate global attention. The New7Man Made Wonders (voted for in 2007) has become part of school curricula all over the world. If the same happens to the New7Wonders of Nature, children from every corner of the globe could be learning about Table Mountain, Cape Town and South Africa as a destination.

Table Mountain is one of the oldest mountains on the planet, estimated to be around 360 million years old. Table Mountain was named a World Heritage Site in 2004 as part of the Cape Floristic Region, the smallest and richest of the only six floral kingdoms on the planet. It supports natural forest and indigenous fynbos along with a variety of animals and birds, including 8 200 rare and endangered plant species. Table Mountain is the only terrestrial feature on our planet to have a constellation named after it. The southern constellation Mensa (originally Mons Mensae – Latin for “the table mountain”), was named in 1754 after the increasingly world-famous landmark in the then “Cape of Good Hope”. It was a symbol of hope for freedom fighters jailed on Robben Island. Table Mountain is a recognised as a global icon, visited by millions of people each year and attracting the attention of royalty, sports stars and Hollywood celebrities. It is one of the most photographed sites in Africa.

The Official New7Wonders of Nature contest aims to raise awareness of the diversity and beauty of nature around us. Candidates must be clearly defined natural sites that have neither been created nor significantly altered by man. The awareness and tourism income generated through the New7Wonders campaign will ensure that these natural treasures are better preserved for future generations.

SA – the Good News via Cape Town Tourism