They are the most spectacular, awe-inducing sights our planet has to offer, and now an online contest is set to reveal just which seven are the world's most special.
A worldwide poll to find the best natural wonders on the planet is nearing its conclusion after receiving millions of votes from around the globe.
Established international landmarks such as the Grand Canyon, the Amazon and the Great Barrier Reef are all represented in the voting, alongside lesser known sites such as the Bay of Fundy in Canada and Jeju Island in South Korea.
Australia's Great Barrier Reef
According to the judges on the event's official website, the 28 finalists were chosen from specific criteria such as unique beauty of the site, as well as diversity and distribution.
Ecological significance, historical legacy and geo-location were also considered by the panel choosing the finalists.
The voting process started in December 2007, before the top 77 sites were moved onto a shortlist in July 2009. Now after being reduced to 28, the official top seven are about to be named.
The 28 remaining finalists are spread across the globe, while the closest representation to Britain comes in the form of the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, Ireland.
Well-known natural spectacles such as Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania are strong contenders for the final seven.
The snow-capped 5,895-metre mountain is one of the most famous in the world, although it will face strong competition from South Africa's Table Mountain.
The 446km-long Grand Canyon in the U.S. and the Amazon rainforest are also certain to be frontrunners.
In 2007, votes were cast to reveal a new set of official wonders of the world, prior to voting for the planet's most spectacular natural marvels.
The official seven wonders of the world were named as Chichen Itza in Mexico, Christ Redeemer in Brazil, The Great Wall of China, The Colosseum in Italy, Machu Picchu in Peru, the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, and India's Taj Mahal.
The list aimed to replace the seven ancient wonders of the world, of which only the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt remain.
The New7Wonders of Nature is a global Internet contest under the slogan: 'If we want to save anything, we first need to truly appreciate it.'
The Jeita Grotto, a compound of crystalised caves in Lebanon
Bu Tinah Island in the United Arab Emirates
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