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Many of the world’s most wondrous and beautiful destinations are in danger of being destroyed by a combination of environmental and social factors. Below are some popular locations worth visiting before they disappear.

Glacier National Park

United States and Canada

Glacier National Park contains some of the most beautiful and primitive wilderness in the Rocky Mountains. There are more than 200 glacier-fed lakes and much wildlife. However, the latest warm period has caused the number of glaciers to decrease from 150 in 1850 to 26 today. If current global warming trends continue, there will be no glaciers left in the park by 2030.

Venice

Italy

With as many as 40 floods per year between March and September, Venice is slowly sinking at an estimated rate of 2.5 inches every ten years. A severe flood in December 2008 brought renewed attention to Venice’s vulnerable(脆弱的) state and approaching fate as an underwater city.

Taj Mahal

Agra, Uttar Pradesh State, India

The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of the late style of Indian Islamic architecture. The building is visited by three to four million tourists each year. The crowds and air pollution, however, have caused irreversible(不可逆转的) damage to the building, making tourism officials consider closing the historic site to the public.

Pyramids of Giza

Giza, Egypt

The Pyramids have witnessed a heavy traffic in this sightseeing area for centuries, but the pollution and great number of visitors have caused damage to the ancient structures, which are not protected by Egyptian officials. Although camel and horseback tours are now banned from the site, the structures are still difficult to see through the crowds and vendors.