Loch Ness in natural wonder competition

More than 200 natural wonders, including Loch Ness, Mount Everest and the Grand Canyon are to compete in a global competition that will name the New 7 Wonders of Nature, organizers of the competition have announced.

In all, 261 nominated natural wonders, in 222 countries, have been nominated, including well-known mountain peaks, lakes and other natural attractions such as Niagara Falls and the Great Barrier Reef.

Early on Wednesday organizers released the list of nominees in Geneva.

It is anticipated that as many as a billion voters will take part in the Internet poll in choosing 77 semi-finalists in the top natural wonders competition. The seven finally selected will enjoy the recognition received by the seven man-made wonders chosen in 2007.

“We are calling on people all over the world to actively show their appreciation for our … natural world by joining together to celebrate the most extraordinary sites on our planet,” said a spokeswoman for the campaign, Tia Viering.

The non-profit foundation behind the campaign, based in Switzerland, has received 441 nominations over the Internet since the selection process was opened in 2007.

The process involved choosing the top vote-getter from each country, which led to 222 sites. When natural wonders bordering two or more countries were added, the list grew to 261. Sites sharing borders include Niagara Falls and Lake Superior, which border the US and Canada and the Matterhorn, bordering Switzerland and Italy.

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