We humans have done a lot of terrible things to our planet. But we’ve also done some wonderful things that add beauty to our planet, creating amazing landscapes with dazzling patterns, shapes and colors.
Take a closer look.
1. A large vineyard area to the east of Cape Town, South Africa
Michael Fay / National Geographic / Offset
2. Seaweed farms in Bali, Indonesia
Brooke Whatnall / National Geographic / Offset
3. Fish traps in Kosi Bay, South Africa
Michael Fay / National Geographic / Offset
4. Piles of salt in Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni
Art Wolfe / Mint Images / Offset
5. Plowed farmland landscape in the Northwestern United States
Art Wolfe / Mint Images / Offset
6. Aerial view of polder in the Netherlands
7. Oxidized iron minerals in the water at an old mining area, Rio Tinto, Huelva Province, Spain
8. Wind generators in the landscape of the Altamira Pass, California
Art Wolfe / Mint Images / Offset
9. Aerial view of salt-works in Namibia
10. Aerial view of Iowa fields, Des Moines
11. View of a green field in Hartenholm, Germany
Frank Blum / Westend61 / Offset
12. Colorful “cobblestone” salt wells in Tegguiada-n-Tessoum
Michael Fay / National Geographic / Offset
13. Oyster farming in the Luderitz Bay, Namibia
Michael Fay / National Geographic / Offset
14. A mining operation with slag management and Acacia reforestation
Michael Fay / National Geographic / Offset
15. Aquaculture in Bay of Cadiz, Andalusia, Spain
16. English Lavender Field, Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur, France
17. Vineyard Landscape, Ortenau, Baden Wine Route, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
18. Rows of slender trees on a tree farm in France
Stephen Sharnoff / National Geographic / Offset
19. Raised bed manioc culture in Zambia
Michael Fay / National Geographic / Offset
20. Hay Bales Near Jamestown, North Dakota
21. Aerial view of terraced rice fields in Yuanyang, China
Art Wolfe / Mint Images / Offset
22. A Flock Of Sheep Gathering Together On A Farm in Hamburg, Germany
23. Paddy fields of the South Central Plateau in Madagascar
Michael Fay / National Geographic / Offset
Believe it or not, these 23 photos of stunning landscapes are man-made.