25 Amazing Places Likely To Disappear In Your Lifetime

Posted by , Updated on March 23, 2024

We have bad news for you. There are some truly mind blowing places that won’t be here for much longer. These places are eroding, crumbling, melting, shrinking away. And it looks like there’s not much we can do to stop them. So if you like to travel and want to visit one of the places on this list, you should do it soon. Who knows how much time these incredible places have left. These are 25 amazing places likely to disappear in your lifetime.

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25

The Everglades (USA)

The EvergladesSource: npr.org

Often called the most endangered park in the country, rising sea levels, urban encroachment, and new species have all contributed to its struggles.

24

Mosques of Timbuktu (Mali)

Mosques of TimbuktuSource: bbc.com

Hundreds of years old, this UNESCO world heritage site is made primarily of mud. The problem is, mud doesn’t stand up to climate change very well.

23

The Dead Sea (Israel/Palestine/Jordan)

The Dead SeaSource: theguardian.com

Due to mining operations, more than 2 billion gallons of water are being drained from this sea every year. If you want to float on water, you had better get to it soon!

22

The Great Wall (China)

The Great WallSource: bbc.com

The world’s largest man made structure might not make it much longer. Erosion due to over farming has led to large parts of the wall being damaged.

21

Machu Picchu (Peru)

Machu PicchuSource: euronews.com

Too many tourists, landslides, and erosion all threaten to destroy this historic site.

20

The Congo Basin (Africa)

The Congo BasinSource: idrc.ca

One of the most biodiverse regions on the planet, scientists predict that by 2040, nearly two thirds of its plants and animals may be gone.

19

The Amazon (Brazil)

The AmazonSource: wwf.panda.org

Deforestation has already destroyed large parts of the world’s largest rainforest. If things don’t change, the rainforest could ultimately disappear.

18

Glacier National Park (USA)

Glacier National ParkSource: nytimes.com

The park has gone from 125 glaciers in the 1800’s to just 25 today. If things keep up, there won’t be any left by 2030.

17

Tikal National Park (Guatemala)

Tikal National ParkSource: dailymail.co.uk

Thanks to looting and forest burning, this historic site might not exist very much longer.

16

Joshua Tree National Park (USA)

Joshua Tree National ParkSource: latimes.com

The California drought has affected these desert dwelling trees. And yes, it sounds crazy, but even the desert needs water.

15

Venice (Italy)

VeniceSource: independent.co.uk

Although it’s a tourist trap, you’d better take that gondola ride soon because Venice is sinking beneath the waves rather quickly.

14

Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

Galapagos IslandsSource: galapagos.org

While the islands might still be there, if sea levels continue rising, the nesting grounds for Galapagos penguins will soon disappear. The Ecuadorian government has been preparing for this by building “penguin condos” farther inland.

13

The Pyramids (Egypt)

The PyramidsSource: theguardian.com

Both the pyramids and the Sphinx are threatened by erosion from sewage, pollution, tourism, and urban encroachment.

12

The Outer Banks (USA)

The Outer BanksSource: washingtonpost.com

The sands of this famous North Carolina coastline are slowly eroding. This has put many historic landmarks, like the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, in danger.

11

The Seychelles

The SeychellesSource: npr.org

The island country is struggling to stay above water as sea levels continue rising.

10

Sundarbans (India/Bangladesh)

SundarbansSource: bbc.com

Due to deforestation, rising sea levels, and pollution, this biologically diverse delta region might not exist much longer. Sadly, it is home to the world’s last delta dwelling tigers.

9

Alpine glaciers (Europe)

Alpine glaciersSource: dw.de

Just like Glacier National Park in the US, the Alps won’t have any ice soon. In fact, it’s already hard to go skiing in many places because of a lack of snow.

8

Madagascar Rainforest (Madagascar)

Madagascar RainforestSource: theguardian.com

Once spanning 120,000 square miles, Madagascar’s rainforest is now down to roughly 20,000 square miles.

7

Great Barrier Reef (Australia)

Great Barrier ReefSource: bbc.com

Between rising sea temperatures and increasing ocean acidification, this reef’s days seem numbered.

6

Big Sur (USA)

Big SurSource: latimes.com

Although the California coastline isn’t likely to disappear, its mammals might. As one of the best places in the country to spot whales, your chances of getting lucky are dropping every year.

5

The Taj Mahal (India)

The Taj MahalSource: bbc.com

Although it’s one of the most famous buildings in the world, erosion and pollution have left experts worried that it could collapse.

4

Patagonia's Glaciers (Argentina)

Patagonia's glaciersSource: patagonia.com

South America isn’t immune to climate change. Less rain and higher temperatures are shrinking its massive ice flows.

3

Mt. Kilimanjaro's Peak (Tanzania)

Mt. Kilimanjaro's peakSource: huffingtonpost.com

Well, the peak will still be there, but it won’t have any snow on it. During the last century, 85% of its snow cover has melted. In the next 20 years, scientists predict that Mt. Kilimanjaro won’t have ice on its peak for the first time in 10,000 years.

2

Tuvalu

TuvaluSource: smithsonianmag.com

With its highest point being roughly 15 feet above sea level, Tuvalu might little more than a sandbar soon.

1

The Maldives

MaldivesSource: theguardian.com

As the lowest lying country in the world, it may be submerged by the end of the century. The government has even started buying land elsewhere.



Photos: Featured Image: pixabay (public domain), 25. pixabay (public domain), 24. anonymous, Great Mosque of Djenné 2CC BY-SA 3.0, 23-4. pixabay (public domain), 3. Chris 73 / Wikimedia CommonsMt. Kilimanjaro 12.2006CC BY-SA 3.0, 2-1. pixabay (public domain)