The largest confirmed asteroid impact crater on Earth is the Vredefort Crater, located in South Africa. The Vredefort Crater is estimated to be about 300 kilometers (186 miles) in diameter, making it the world's largest known impact structure.
Formed around 2 billion years ago, during the early stages of Earth's history, the Vredefort Crater resulted from the impact of a massive asteroid or comet. The exact size and nature of the impacting object are still a subject of scientific investigation and debate.
Over time, the original crater has undergone significant erosion, and the central uplift, which would have formed shortly after the impact, is no longer visible. Nevertheless, geologic studies have confirmed the presence of shock metamorphic features and other evidence consistent with an impact event.
The Vredefort Crater was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005 due to its scientific importance and its impact on the geological history of Earth. Studying impact craters like Vredefort provides insights into the dynamics of large-scale impacts, their environmental consequences, and their effects on planetary evolution.