11. Karakoram Highway, Pakistan
Constructed: 1979
Risk Factor: Fatal landslides have been known to destroy cars
The Karakoram Highway, also known as the KKH, is often referred to as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” because it’s amazing it was ever built. During the twenty years of construction, the Pakistani highway was fraught with difficulties, mostly caused by landslides. Eventually, the engineers pulled it off, and the road would become a popular tourist attraction.
Karakoram Highway, Pakistan ©Pawika Tongtavee / Shutterstock.com
The KKH is one of the world’s highest paved roads, traversing the Karakoram Mountain Range and reaching a maximum elevation of 15,466. The landslides that plagued the Karakoram during its construction still exist, and the eight-hundred-mile road is fraught with natural disasters, from landslides to avalanches. During construction alone, 1,110 workers lost their lives from falling rocks.