Largest concentration of sandstone pillars

Zhangjiajie Sandstone Peak Forest Geopark in north-west Hunan Province, China, contains more than 3,100 natural pillars, columns and peaks made of quartz sandstone. More than 1,000 of them soar above 120 metres (393 feet) tall, and 45 reach over 300 metres (984 feet). One of the most notable of these features, known as the "Avatar Hallelujah Mountain" (formerly the "Southern Sky Column"), stands some 1,080 metres (3,543 feet) high; its name is derived from its appearance in James Cameron's sci-fi blockbuster Avatar (2009), in which Zhangjiajie serves as the location for Pandora's Hallelujah Mountains. Restricted to an area of approximately 86 square kilometres (33 square miles), the average density of the sandstone pillars is 37.5 peaks per square kilometre.

The region became China's first national forest park in 1982. The 3,600-square-kilometre (1,400-square-mile) Zhangjiajie Sandstone Peak Forest National Geopark was established in 2001, and was recognized as a global geopark by UNESCO three years later.

As well as pillars, the park is home to a variety of other sandstone features including mesas, natural arches and peak walls. The topography is thought to have formed predominantly through physical erosion, including ice and plants, rather than chemical weathering.

Zhangjiajie Sandstone Peak Forest National Geopark is also home to two man-made records built to appreciate the stunning scenery: the tallest outdoor elevator (326 metres/1,070 feet) and the highest footbridge (260 metres/853 feet).